16th September 2026
Young people without a university degree are facing increasingly difficult barriers when trying to secure their first job, according to a new report from the Resolution Foundation.
The organisation warns that young people qualified to GCSE level or below now face an unemployment rate around three times higher than that of graduates.
Yet many of the new tools designed to help people into work are aimed primarily at graduates, leaving some of those who need the most support with fewer options.
Getting through the recruitment process
One of the biggest problems identified is the increasing use of automated recruitment systems.
The Resolution Foundation says 71% of UK firms use automated applicant-tracking systems, with more than a third of those using them to screen candidates out.
For young people without a degree, this can make it harder to demonstrate their abilities and experience before they have even reached an interview.
A lack of formal qualifications can become a barrier in itself, even when a young person has the practical skills needed for the job.
Apprenticeships are not necessarily filling the gap
Apprenticeships are often presented as an alternative route into employment and a way of avoiding the need for a university degree.
However, the Resolution Foundation highlights a significant problem.
Around 70% of higher-level, levy-funded apprenticeship starts over the past decade went to people aged 25 and over.
That raises questions about whether the apprenticeship system is providing enough opportunities for young people making the transition directly from school into work.
Careers advice can also become much less available once young people leave education, while the range of training and employment options can be difficult to navigate.
Finding the right first job
The report argues that the problem isn't always a lack of motivation among young people.
Sometimes it is a matching problem.
Young people may accept jobs without having a realistic understanding of what the work will involve. If the reality doesn't match their expectations, they can leave quickly.
Poor onboarding and a lack of support during the early weeks can make the problem worse.
The result can be a cycle of short-term employment, unemployment and repeated attempts to enter the labour market.
Technology could help — but it isn't a complete answer
The Resolution Foundation believes technology could play a useful role, particularly by allowing young people to experience different types of work before committing to a job.
Virtual work experience and short placements could help young people understand what jobs are actually like and whether they are suited to them.
Technology could also help translate informal experience into skills that employers recognise.
But the report warns against assuming that technology alone can solve the problem.
Young people may still need support from teachers, careers advisers, employers or other trusted adults.
A problem that could affect the wider economy
Helping young people make a successful transition into employment matters beyond the individuals involved.
A difficult start to working life can affect earnings, confidence, skills and future career opportunities.
With more than a million young people already outside employment, education or training, getting more young people into sustainable employment is becoming an increasingly important economic issue.
The Resolution Foundation's message is that technology can help, but it needs to be designed around the young people who face the greatest barriers — not simply those who already have qualifications, networks and experience.
For a generation entering an increasingly automated labour market, getting the first job may be becoming the hardest step of all.
Source: Resolution Foundation, First jobs, new barriers, September 2026.
https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/2026/09/First-jobs-new-barriers.pdf
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