Niall Grant: A ghostly vision of the future for young people

I like to think, as it’s approaching Christmas, that maybe in a Scrooge-like fairytale, our political leaders were visited by the “Ghosts of Manifesto Past”, “Ghost of Student Present” and the “Ghost of the Future Lost Generation”.

I like to think these ghosts would be aged 16 to 24, not in employment, education or training (Neets) and – assuming they were English – until recently hoping to go to university. They might have voted for the politicians in question, David Cameron and Nick Clegg, in the last election, too.

I like to think that both these men were woken up by a million, terribly peeved young “Ghosts of Manifesto Past” who then showed them the error of their ways to date.

I like to think that the “Ghost of Student Present” would simply show how difficult and demoralising it is for those young people desperate to get their first foot on the rung of the employment ladder today.

Suitably shaken, it would then be up to the “Ghost of The Future Lost Generation” (the future ghost) to really shock them. This ghost would show our leaders what the country would be like in 20, 30 or 40 years’ time.

The Ghost of the Future Lost Generation would show them parents not being able to instil a sound work ethic, our best and brightest working abroad – poached by growing economies – and a society that feels entitled to, and relies on, government support.

I like to think that the Lost Generation ghost is preventable. I like to think, as a society, we will continue to work together to do everything we can to stop the Lost Generation from happening and help create a “new reality” for employment prospects.

I like to think, for everyone’s sake, this latest stimulus announced yesterday by the UK government will work. I like to think this stimulus is certainly a welcome step in the right direction. I like to think this generation, and the future generations will benefit from this exciting scheme.

•  Niall Grant, 21, is CEO of Recruitwork, an online business which helps employers and young people engage.