Youth Guarantee Programme Board Appoints New Chair to Tackle Rising Youth Unemployment

March 21, 2025

Laura-Jane (LJ) Rawlings MBE DL has been appointed Chair of the Youth Guarantee Programme Board.

Rawlings, CEO of Youth Employment UK, brings over 15 years of leadership experience in shaping youth employment policy. Having founded the organisation in 2012, she has since become a leading national voice on youth employment, advising the UK Government and playing a key role in initiatives aimed at tackling economic inactivity among young people.

Her appointment comes at a critical time. The Youth Guarantee Programme Board—a Trailblazer initiative backed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Education (DfE)—is set to hold its first meeting next Thursday. It will drive the strategy behind the Youth Guarantee, a scheme designed to reduce the number of 18-21-year-olds not in education, employment, or training (NEET) by offering structured support and opportunities.

Youth unemployment remains a pressing issue. As of October 2024, 11.1% of 16-24-year-olds in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough were unemployed, slightly above the national average of 10.9%. Nationally, one in eight young people in this age bracket is NEET, with long-term consequences for employment prospects, earnings, and mental health.

With digital and life sciences sectors expanding rapidly, employers are voicing concerns over the skills gap—an issue that has been central to discussions at recent industry roundtables. The Youth Guarantee aims to bridge this gap by connecting young people with relevant training, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities that align with regional economic needs.

Assistant Director for Skills and Employment, Andrea Wood MBE, welcomed the appointment, saying:

“We are thrilled to have LJ Rawlings leading the Youth Guarantee Programme Board. Her experience and deep understanding of the challenges young people face will be invaluable as we work with employers, education providers, and policymakers to create pathways into meaningful employment.”

Rawlings herself described the opportunity as an important moment for youth policy:

“Young people today face increasing barriers to work, from skills mismatches to economic instability. The Youth Guarantee offers a real opportunity to reshape the system—ensuring young people not only have access to jobs and training but also a say in how these services are designed.”

The Youth Guarantee will be delivered in partnership with local employers, colleges, and training providers. A key feature is the Youth Skills and Employment Forum, where young people will co-design and evaluate support services, ensuring that policies are not just well-intentioned, but effective.

The Local Skills Improvement Plan for Cambridgeshire & Peterborough (LSIP) plays a key role in ensuring the region’s workforce is equipped with the skills that employers need. The LSIP’s focus on digital, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and agri-tech aligns closely with the objectives of the Youth Guarantee, ensuring that young people are supported into careers in these growth sectors.

Charlotte Horobin, CEO of the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, said:

“We’re excited to see Laura-Jane Rawlings lead the Youth Guarantee Programme Board. With her wealth of experience, she’ll be crucial in tackling the challenges young people face in finding meaningful work. The Youth Guarantee aligns well with the work we’re doing through the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) in ensuring that young people are equipped with the right skills for the future, particularly in key sectors such as digital, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.”

With local businesses facing recruitment challenges, ensuring better coordination between employers, education providers, and skills initiatives is more critical than ever. The Local Skills Improvement Plan has already helped to highlight gaps in skills provision, and the Youth Guarantee will help create new pathways for young people to enter the workforce.

As part of the Government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough’s role as a Trailblazer will provide key insights for shaping national policy. The scheme will run for one year from April 2025 to March 2026, with its success measured by reducing the number of young people classed as NEET and improving transitions into sustainable employment.

With Rawlings at the helm and close collaboration between CPCA and the Cambridgeshire Chamber driving the LSIP priorities forward, we hope to put the needs of business at the heart of skills delivery and provide rewarding opportunities for the next generation of talent.

For more details on how to get involved, visit: https://www.growthworkswithskills.com/educators-hub/youth-forum/

ENDS