More needs to be done to help school leavers gain the skills and confidence to land a new job, according to Chris Melvin, chief executive of Reed in Partnership

Melvin’s comments follow the trialling of a new model developed by Reed in Partnership at the West London Academy, which has shown that by engaging with schools employers and training providers can improve skills among sixth formers. Reed in Partnership says the basic interview training and CV workshops helped to boost confidence and improve understanding of what prospective employers expect.

Melvin says: “With the rate of jobless graduates hitting an all time high it is clear that in many cases experience, not education, is the main barrier to employment. Our experience of working with young people shows that more needs to be done to help school pupils develop the skills and confidence needed to secure a job. By rolling this model out across the UK, businesses and third sector partners can play an important role in helping the hardest to reach determine their own futures. This isn’t about additional funding from government but about using existing resources in a way that can better achieve real results for young people.”