A major government-commissioned review has concluded that the UK's approach to youth employment is heading in the wrong direction, with education systems failing to adequately prepare young people for the jobs market.

Alan Milburn, leading the review, is calling for a comprehensive "system reset" to tackle persistent youth unemployment. The findings underscore longstanding concerns that schools focus too heavily on exam passing rather than equipping students with practical skills and real-world experience employers actually need. This aligns with recent calls from education experts arguing that the system must evolve beyond traditional academic measures. Read the full story →

Today's takeaway: When systems adapt to meet young people's actual needs, entire communities benefit from a more skilled, confident, and engaged workforce.