"The countdown to furlough’s end is getting lower, and many are unsurprisingly scared about what’s ahead - more than a third of UK employers plan to make staff redundant. But in this time of need, we need to think strategically and the sad reality is, the furlough scheme needs to come to an end.
“As a country, our economy cannot afford it. The various schemes to keep the country moving - Eat Out to Help Out and BBLS funded by the government - have amounted to huge debt. And it’s our future workforce that will be left to pay for this lumped sum.
“Young people have truly faced the brunt of Covid-19. Education came to a standstill and jobs became scarce - the hospitality and retail sector are popular industries for the young. And it’s only recently the government has shifted their focus to young people, through solutions such as the kickstart scheme to help them get valuable experience and enter the job scene. But is it too late? Arguably, yes, it is.
“This is only a small step in protecting young people, and although we will see mass redundancies happen across the UK, we need to look ahead. More needs to be done to support our future workforce. It’s now in the hands of businesses to take a leap of faith, and invest in young people through apprenticeships and work experience schemes, to make sure they don’t become a lost generation"
