Young people in Rotherham have fewer suitable job opportunities than those in some parts of Southern England, according to a new report.
There is one suitable vacancy for every 22 people aged 18 to 24 in Rotherham, compared with one for every four in the Cotswolds, research from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found.
The analysis compared the number of online vacancies with the number of 18 to 24-year-olds in each area, and found the availability of jobs varies depending on where people live.
Nine of the 10 areas with the highest number of suitable vacancies per young person are in the South, while four of the 10 areas with the fewest are in the Midlands, with others in Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales and the East of England.
The IPPR said a lack of suitable jobs could be contributing to the number of young people not in education, employment or training. ONS figures show 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 were in this position in the UK between April and June 2026.
Lord Jim Knight, former minister for employment and schools, said: ‘IPPR’s report dispels the myth that nearly a million young people are out of work because they lack aspiration. Young people in Rotherham are not six times less talented than those in the Cotswolds; they face six times fewer suitable vacancies.’
Apprenticeship gap
Apprenticeship opportunities vary between industries, with health and social work offering more than sectors such as arts and entertainment.
The IPPR estimates halving the difference between the highest and lowest-performing sectors could result in about 110,000 additional apprenticeships each year.
Meanwhile, the research also revealed a lot of young people who aren’t in education, employment or training are not receiving support – about half don’t receive Universal Credit.
For those who are claiming the benefit and looking for work, the youngest are almost five times more likely to be sanctioned than the oldest.
Henry Parkes, principal economist at IPPR, said: ‘Too much of the debate about youth unemployment starts from the assumption that the problem lies with the young person. Our local data shows just how wrong that is. There is more than a six-fold gap in the availability of suitable vacancies depending on where you live.
‘You cannot solve a shortage of opportunity simply by asking young people to search harder. We need to create the first rung of the employment ladder in places where it is missing – and rebuild apprenticeships so that every sector is playing its part in giving the next generation a route into good work.’
Drawing on his own experience, Lord David Blunkett, former education and employment secretary, explained the difference access to opportunities can make.
‘I was 16, with no qualifications, little knowledge about further education but with a burning ambition to be independent and fend for myself,’ he said. ‘Born without sight and brought up on a council estate in Sheffield, my route forward was neither straightforward nor assured. I know, therefore, something of what it means to stand at the threshold of adult life without a clear path ahead.’
Lord Blunkett continued: ‘Young people have an immense amount to give. With national ambition, local leadership and the willingness to invest, we can ensure that birthplace does not determine a young person’s future.
‘We can renew the promise that should lie at the heart of any decent society: that no young person will be discarded, that the door to opportunity will remain open, and that everyone will have the chance to build a life of purpose.’
Image: Openverse
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