A generation lost? The A-level results are out, yet career paths are broken

Shuab Gamote

When young people feel every path is blocked, political disillusionment grows

Last week’s A-level results day marked a milestone for hundreds of thousands of young people. For nearly 40%, the next step will be university, still sold as the surest route to success. Yet the academic path is failing too many: graduates leave with debt but without clear ways into secure, meaningful work. For those who choose vocational training, the picture is no brighter. Apprenticeships remain underfunded, undervalued and too often concentrated in low-growth sectors. Now even hard-won first jobs that followed both routes are on the chopping block as AI moves in.

As a 26-year-old, I have seen it among friends and peers – talented, qualified people stuck in limbo for months, even years, searching for a break that never comes. Since last summer, 59,000 more young people have become unemployed, bringing the total to 634,000 aged 16 to 24.

Universities, under intense funding pressures, prioritise student recruitment over employability outcomes. Not entirely their fault, but a clear sign the system is failing. Government plans to axe funding for advanced qualifications, such as Level 7 apprenticeships, threaten to strip away some of the best technical routes we have. This generation could be the first in modern history where both the academic and vocational paths are broken.

The consequences go beyond economics. When young people feel every path is blocked, political disillusionment grows. That frustration can become a fertile ground for extremes, from get-rich-quick scams to the lure of populist movements offering false certainty.

We urgently need a new way forward: one that combines academic learning and practical skills and keeps pace with rapid technological change. That means putting investment and political will behind young people, just as we’ve seen in recent decades for older generations, mainly through pensions. Why not prioritise a national mentoring scheme and networks? We must create chances for school leavers to get ahead – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds who are too often locked out of opportunity. This isn’t just about jobs It’s about reimagining what we consider a successful start in life. The next chapter of Britain’s story will be written by those young people we choose to support with opportunity and skills– or by those we leave behind to navigate a future we failed to prepare them for.