The improving economic picture – underlined recently by the creation of 30 jobs at Poundworld’s third local store, a new £1 million heat treatment plant at Keighley Laboratories and plans by Saltaire-based All Terrain Cycles to invest £1 million in a second store – was marred by a report highlighting Bradford as one of the country’s worst blackspots for youth unemployment.

According to The Work Foundation, the city’s 25 per cent youth unemployment rate puts it sixth in the top ten UK cities with the highest unemployment rate, excluding full-time students.

The high number of jobless young people seems to be the nut no-one has yet cracked amid the overall improving economic picture. That is why the Government’s announcement that it is beefing up careers advice for youngsters is so important.

New guidance from the Department for Education to secondary schools and colleges sets out a clear framework and highlights the benefits of pupils having face-to-face discussions to explore career ideas with local business leaders, successful alumni and careers advisers, as well as providing pupils with direct experience of the workplace.

The move was music to the ears of Paul Mackie, chairman of E3 Bradford – established to increase careers issues in schools – which recently staged the second Work Inspiration Week giving 500 students first-hand experience of local workplaces Bradford East MP David Ward, who has been pressing for more hands-on involvement of businesses in schools, also welcomed the measures.

It won’t solve the youth unemployment problem but more co-operation between education and the workplace and a focused careers advice structure should help somewhat. Of course, it needs more employers to get involved as well and hopefully the activities of E3 and other bodies will encourage this.

  • It was particularly heartening to write about Shipley College student Jake Andrews, a cerebral palsy sufferer, who landed an apprenticeship with Saltaire-based business services company AdviserPlus after applying for more than 40 jobs.

Jake, whose condition affects his movement and balance, works four days a week at the office with one day at college.

His is an inspiring story, underlining his own determination to get on and the commitment of AdviserPlus – which aims to double its workforce over the next five years – to providing suitable opportunities to disabled people.