END austerity and refund careers advice to give young people the best chance at making informed decisions, the National Education Union (NEU) told Andy Burnham today.

General secretary Daniel Kebede welcomed plans supported by the PM for Sainsbury’s to offer 10,000 work experience opportunities for young people, but said Mr Burnham will need to go further.

“Finding enough high-quality work experience opportunities for young people has been a persistent problem and so we welcome initiatives which seek to rectify this,” Mr Kebede told the Morning Star.

“Offering expert careers advice and guidance requires specialist skills and knowledge but yet, as a result of austerity, has become one of many services left to be mopped up by schools.

“Such specialist services must be refunded and reinstated to give young people the best chance at making informed career and life decisions.”

Mr Burnham called on employers today to offer work experience opportunities for young people, as he branded the number of youngsters not in education, employment or training (Neet) a “huge challenge.”

He praised the Sainsbury’s for a “really positive development” after appearing with London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan at one of its locations in Nine Elms, London.

The firm unveiled plans on Wednesday it said would help more young people in deprived areas into work as of October.

Opportunities would include workplace visits, careers sessions and practical work experience across Britain, targeting areas with higher levels of Neets, which has topped one million.

The Prime Minister said the programme was “exactly what we need.”

Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University Ben Harrison said the challenge was “not simply how to provide young people with more employment support” but that opportunities for them are in decline.

“Young people are entering one of the toughest labour markets in years, facing intense competition for a shrinking number of entry-level jobs and fewer opportunities to get a secure foothold in work,” Mr Harrison said.

“Opportunities for young people are declining, and for those living in weaker local labour markets, the options they face are constrained.

“The focus must remain on boosting the quality and quantity of roles available to young people.

“And that means doing more to directly create good jobs, while also providing additional support to employers to do likewise.”