WORK experience should be a statutory right for young people, according to the head of the Confederation of British Iindustry (CBI).

Speaking at the employer organisation’s Action for Jobs summit, John Cridland, director general of the CBI, yesterday urged businesses and Government to take a more cohesive approach to ensure young people have the right skills and opportunities to obtain jobs.

“Youth unemployment has been rising since 2004, so it’s clear that a return to growth alone will not be enough to tackle the underlying causes of the problem,” he said.

The CBI welcomed initiatives such as the £1bn Youth Contract, but called for simplification and guidance on the 47 funding and support initiatives available for employers to take on and train young people.

Mr Cridland, added: “The Work Programme and the Youth Contract can play a key role in getting to the most difficult to reach, offering intensive support to people who have often been let down by the state.

“Business wants to be part of this, not out of a sense of corporate and social responsibility, but because the case for action is compelling for the long-term health of our economy and society.”

Mr Cridland called for radical action, including making work experience a statutory right for 14 to 16-year-olds, aligning school funding with employment as well as academic outcomes, boosting school-business links, investing more in apprenticeships and introducing a comprehensive “readiness-for-work” assessment at JobCentre Plus.

His proposals mirror the core objectives of the Foundation for Jobs campaign, launched in January by The Northern Echo in conjunction with Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington Partnership.

It aims to tackle youth unemployment and boost apprenticeships and work experience for local youngsters.

To address longer-term challenges surrounding youth employment, the CBI is also undertaking a major new project on education and the school system.