The changing nature of the youth employment market and its impact upon the lives of young people on the economic margins of society

This article seeks to explore how the transitions of young people from formal education into employment have changed since the 1970s and to consider the impact these changes have had upon the lives of some of the most vulnerable young people in society. This discussion concludes that the consistent focus on education, training and addressing the perceived personal flaws of individuals, without an equally rigorous examination of the flaws within the structure and functioning of the youth employment market, means that as a society the UK is still consistently failing to address the needs of a tenth of its youth population as they approach adulthood.