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22nd August 2012The number of young people in England aged 16 to 24 who are not in education or employment stands at 968,000.
According to new figures from the Department for Education, there has been a 0.2% drop in the number of 'Neets' overall but a small rise in the 16 to 18 category, up from 9.8% to 10.3%.
One in six 16 to 24-year-olds in England were not in education, employment or training at the end of June this year.
The Association of Employment and Learning Providers has called for further action to get young people into apprentice schemes.
"Apprenticeships are proving to be a very popular option for young people looking for a sustainable career, but we are hearing from apprentice training providers that many employers are raising the bar for entry requirements," an AELP spokesman said.
"Therefore we have been urging ministers to develop and expand a pre-apprenticeship or preparatory training programme to particularly help those who have left school with few or no qualifications."
The government said that the number of Neets remains too high.
"As part of the Youth Contract, we are spending £126 million over the next three years on extra targeted support for the 55,000 16- and 17-year-olds most in need of education and training," a spokeswoman said.
"Our education reforms will create a world-class education system that will equip young people properly for both higher education and skilled, sustainable employment."