A historical perspective on the relationship between employer expectations and the school curriculum
Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn was asked by the Government in November 2025 to investigate and report on the drivers of the increase in the number of young people who are not in education employment or training (NEET).
His initial report shares findings of his Young People and Work review. The report warns that the proportion of NEETs could rise from one in eight to one in six within five years, and argues that addressing the issue would require what Milburn described as a 'system reset' encompassing the welfare system, the school system, the skills system and the health system. His diagnosis is serious, and the concerns it raises are legitimate.
However, as this paper seeks to show, the solutions to the problems facing the employment opportunities and work readiness of young people likely go beyond what the school curriculum alone can achieve. While this point might seem platitudinal, it’s important because there is a tendency for the commentary around this issue to fall into an overly simplistic focus on the school curriculum as the primary root, and thus solution, to the problem.
