Potential, not barriers: connecting young people with special educational needs to energy, utilities and infrastructure careers
The recommendations emerging from Alan Milburn’s review of young people and work have shone a spotlight on one of the United Kingdom’s most pressing challenges: helping more young people with special educational needs and disabilities make a successful transition from education into employment. Recent reporting on the review has highlighted the case for expanding supported internships and targeted employment pathways, recognising the significant difference these programmes can make to long-term employment outcomes
Too often, discussions about young people with special educational needs and disabilities focus on barriers. We believe the focus should be on potential.
Across the energy, utilities and infrastructure sectors, employers are seeking skilled, motivated people who can help deliver essential services and support the journey to net zero. At the same time, many young people remain excluded from opportunities because they lack access to the right support, experience or pathway into work. The challenge is creating accessible, structured routes into employment.
Building on what works
The Milburn review is rightly highlighting the value of supported internships and employment programmes that combine workplace experience with tailored support. These approaches provide young people with the confidence, skills and opportunities needed to take their first steps into sustainable careers.
Energy & Utility Skills believes there is an opportunity to build on these principles through sector-focused entry programmes that connect young people directly with employers and career opportunities.
Our own sector entry programme is already demonstrating how targeted pathways can introduce new talent to careers they may never have previously considered. Looking ahead, there is also an opportunity to explore how future cohorts can become even more inclusive of young people and others who may benefit from additional support as they enter the workforce.
We know that more structured routes into careers has a direct impact into successful employment outcomes and supported internships, work placements and pre-employment training all play a vital role.
Unlocking potential for the future
Through Energy & Utility Skills’ Inclusion Measurement Framework, the sector already has a growing evidence base to help organisations understand where barriers to attraction, recruitment, progression and retention exist, and where action is needed to improve outcomes. The framework supports employers in measuring progress and creating more inclusive workplaces that better reflects their communities.
Steve Barrett, Director of Membership & Strategic Engagement, said:
“The Government has a role to play in improving opportunities for young people who face additional barriers into the workplace by developing a coordinated national framework which can be scaled across communities and sectors alongside supporting locally delivered approaches which address regional workforce requirements.
As employers look to respond to the recommendations emerging from the Milburn review, there is an opportunity not only to create more pathways into employment for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, but also to ensure those pathways lead into workplaces where individuals can thrive and develop long-term careers.”
For more information on how we can assist organisations with embedding inclusivity into their workforce planning, please contact us at: enquiries@euskills.co.uk.
