'I've applied for more than 400 roles' - how young people are facing the job shortage
The BBC has been hearing from young people who are struggling to find work about how they are tackling the challenge.
By BBC News
Young people are facing a more difficult jobs market, with many applying for hundreds of roles while employers become more cautious about hiring.
Young people are facing a tougher route into work as the UK jobs market becomes more competitive and entry-level vacancies become harder to secure.
A BBC report has highlighted the experience of young jobseekers who say they have applied for hundreds of roles without getting a stable job offer.
The issue is becoming a growing concern for families, employers and town centres across the country, including in Cheshire.
For young people leaving school, college or university, the first job is often the hardest step. It provides experience, confidence, references and the chance to build a work record.
When that first opportunity is delayed, the impact can last far beyond a few months of job searching.
Official figures show the pressure is building. The Office for National Statistics says 13.5% of people aged 16 to 24 were not in education, employment or training between January and March 2026.
That included an estimated 400,000 young people who were unemployed and 613,000 who were economically inactive.
The figures suggest the challenge is not simply about young people being unwilling to work. Many are actively applying, training or trying to find a route into employment, but are finding the market more difficult than expected.
Several factors are making the situation harder. Employers are dealing with higher wage costs, national insurance changes, cautious consumer spending and uncertainty about demand.
For small businesses, especially in sectors such as retail, hospitality, care, administration and customer service, taking on inexperienced staff can feel like a bigger financial risk.
That matters for Cheshire because these sectors provide many of the first jobs for young people in towns such as Crewe, Chester, Northwich, Macclesfield, Wilmslow and Nantwich.
If fewer employers are willing to offer entry-level roles, young people may find themselves stuck in a cycle of applications, rejections and short-term work.
The problem also affects local businesses. A weak pipeline of younger workers can make it harder to build future supervisors, skilled staff and managers.
Apprenticeships, work placements and proper entry-level training are therefore becoming more important.
The Government has announced plans to expand youth work experience and training schemes, including sector-based work academy programmes and more placements linked to employers.
But for young jobseekers, the immediate challenge remains practical: finding a real opportunity, getting through online application systems and proving they can do the job despite limited experience.
Many entry-level job adverts now ask for previous experience, creating a difficult barrier for people trying to start their working lives.
Recruitment systems that rely heavily on online forms and automated screening can also make the process feel impersonal, with applicants often receiving little or no feedback.
For parents and young people in Cheshire, the story is a reminder that the early-career job market has changed.
Qualifications still matter, but so do work experience, practical skills, volunteering, apprenticeships, local networking and direct contact with employers.
The risk is that young people who cannot get a start may lose confidence before they have had a fair chance to prove themselves.
For the local economy, helping more young people into work is not only a social issue. It is also about keeping skills, wages and future business growth within Cheshire.