Latest data on getting young people into education, employment and training put City of Wolverhampton in the top quintile for 16 and 17-years-olds for the first time – bettering national and regional figures.

Encouraging young people to stay in learning or training, or start an apprenticeship, brings huge benefits. Young people are better skilled and ready for work, their earnings potential increases and their health and wider social outcomes are improved.

During the coronavirus outbreak City of Wolverhampton Council service - Wolverhampton Connexions Service - is still supporting Young People aged 13 to 19 or up to age 25 if you have a learning disability. To find out more visit www.wolvesworkbox.com/coronavirus or email connexions@wolverhampton.gov.uk or niginder.kaur@wolverhampton.gov.uk.

The Department for Education 2019-20 data relates to 16 and 17-year-olds Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) and ‘not knowns’ (those whose outcomes are unknown).

It ranks Wolverhampton within the top 30 Local Authorities in England at 28, with a total of 194, just 3.3% of population in this age category.

This is well below the West Midlands and England figures of 5.3% and 5.5% respectively and confirms a 25% reduction in the numbers of NEET and not knowns compared to 2018-19.

Wolverhampton is also ranked 26th out of the 150 Local Authorities in England for actively encouraging and retaining young people in learning after finishing compulsory education, with 95.2% of 16 and 17-year-olds actively engaged in an education setting.

The improvement has been driven by Connexions Wolverhampton which provides information, advice, guidance and practical support to help young people get ready for adult and working life.

It has achieved the impressive numbers through proactive efforts to engage young people through early identification and intervention, in particular through the schools system, and enhanced partnership working.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Councillor Dr Michael Hardacre, said: “These figures are hugely encouraging and reflect the improvement in schools, and the work of Connexions Wolverhampton, the college and local training providers.

“Young people who disengage from learning and training will struggle to access employment in the future so it is vital we give them as many opportunities as possible.

“More than £4.4 billion of investment in the city is either on site or in the pipeline and we will continue to work closely with city partners to provide recruitment and training opportunities through events such as our successful jobs fairs and the Wolves at Work programme.

“The Connexions service has used these events and programmes to provide greater training and employment opportunities for young people.

“The ongoing push and dedication made by staff on the ground to keep finding and helping those who needed guidance and the support of the Department for Education’s National Client Caseload Information System (NCCIS) to help pinpoint young people in need has led to these excellent results.”

Connexions Wolverhampton was awarded the Matrix quality standard at the end of last year, which is a kite mark for organisations that provide Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) either as a core component of their service offer or as part of their wider provision.