YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: TIME FOR RADICAL CHANGES – FORCE COMPANIES TO TAKE ON UNDER 25s, SAYS PLUMBING ENTREPRENEUR

Plumbing entrepreneur and star of TV’s Secret Millionaire Charlie Mullins has challenged the Government to introduce a radical solution to tackling youth unemployment - force businesses to employ the under 25s.
Charlie, whose company, Pimlico Plumbers, currently employs 20 people under the age of 25 among its 200 strong workforce, says that making the employment of 16-24 year olds mandatory will not only help take youth unemployment back below the 1.02million announced today (16/11/11), but also secure the future of the labour force.
According to Charlie, SME businesses that currently do not employ the under 25s should have the wages and training costs of the first young person they take on paid for by government.
Larger companies should also play a part by taking on an additional 16-24 year old for every 20 employees on their payroll, which will lead to at least 5 percent of their workforce coming from the Not in Education Employment or Training (NEET) generation.
Charlie says: “Any small business that doesn’t have an employee under the age of 25 on their payroll should be marched down to the Job Centre to pluck one out of the dole queue right now.
“SME’s will argue they cannot afford to do this so what’s needed from government is a ‘get one free’ policy where small operations have their first under 25s’ wages and training costs paid for by government for two years.
“Larger firms should take on an additional 16-24 year old for every 20 employees on their books.
“The only way to enforce this is to introduce tax penalties for companies that refuse to play ball.”
Charlie added: “Any business that can’t afford to, but refuses is not only selfish, but incredibly short-sighted. By not employing and training young people they are cutting their own business throats long-term! It would be better if all companies would realise this, but if they won't, they must be forced to.”
“The level of youth unemployment has been a national millstone around our necks for a long time. Something radical has to be done if we are to solve this situation in the short and long-term.”