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Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews has today warned of the danger of the phrase NEET becoming a noun.

The Minister said:

    “If we think and label young people not in employment, education or training as a single category, using the shorthand ‘NEET’ to define an individual like the word geek, we miss the complexity of the true picture and the individual challenges young people face in life.”

In a keynote address to the Wales Council for Voluntary Action on economic inactivity the Minister highlighted the role which government plays in encouraging young people back in to work while stressing the importance of strong literacy and numeracy skills and driving up standards of education in Wales.

Leighton Andrews said:

    “In order for young people to succeed in education they must engage with education. We know that there are still a fair number of young people bored by the school experience or find that it doesn’t meet their needs.

    “Through pioneering schemes like our Foundation Phase we are working hard to make education enjoyable from an early age.  Positive education experiences early in life help foster a passion for learning. This has knock-on effects raising levels of basic skills which we know are so needed in later life.

    “Schemes like 14-19 Learning Pathways, good training opportunities and a range of apprenticeships and work based learning opportunities are providing valuable choice for young people. By offering choice and opportunity, raising basic skills levels and fostering a passion for learning we can help prevent young people becoming economically inactive in the future.

    “We are working closely with Job Centre Plus, Careers Wales and DWP to help those who have historically been out of work, to encourage them to find employment. Many schemes backed with European funding like React, Skillbuild and  Job Match are having a positive impact on helping people back in the labour market.

    “There is no one solution which will encourage young people engage with education, or to help all of those out of work to get back into the labour market. One thing we do know is that labelling them and categorising them without consideration for their individual needs is not going to help them have a prosperous and successful future.”