Youth unemployment is a massive issue in the UK with school leavers fast becoming victims of an almighty hole in our approach to tackling the problem.

There are around 900,000 16-24-year-olds currently out of work - and this alarming figure is set to rise.

It seems that the government is trying to make some headway in reducing numbers, and various initiatives are in place. But there is still a huge policy deficit in government thinking for young people leaving school at the age of 16.

PM Training targets these unemployed teenagers who leave school without any qualifications.

Through the largest Entry to Employment contract in Staffordshire, we provide around 1,000 job and training opportunities every year.

But should the responsibility of tackling this type of worklessness fall on social enterprises like PM Training?

Sadly, in this economic climate, there is not enough move from work experience placements to sustainable employment. Social enterprises should receive more support from government agencies to tackle this growing problem.

When young apprentices began returning to PM Training having being made redundant by companies who simply could not afford them, I knew our darkest predictions regarding youth unemployment were coming true.

Evidence that young people are being hardest hit by the recession was beginning to emerge at the start of the year. Research by the Children’s Society said that one in three young people cannot find a job, and headlines have confirmed that nearly half of all firms will not be hiring school leavers in the months ahead.