The Lost Generation we don’t want to talk about

As the founder of a PR agency, I spend a lot of time speaking to students and graduates desperate to break into the workforce. 

In the UK, more than one million 16-24-year-olds are now classified as not in education, employment or training (NEET), the highest level in over a decade. That’s what the media has now named The Lost Generation.

Graduate positions are shrinking too. One report found graduate roles fell by 33% in 2025 alone. Competition has become ferocious, with some estimates suggesting more than a million graduates are chasing a fraction of the opportunities available just a few years ago.

Even major employers are sounding the alarm. The CEO of Next recently warned of a “dramatic fall” in entry-level jobs as automation, rising costs and economic pressure reshape hiring.

Behind the statistics are real people, my daughter and her friendship group included. Most of them now find themselves with top class degrees working in hospitality. She has chosen to go onto further education and do an Msc in Barcelona – what happens by the time she graduates in 2027 is unimaginable at this stage. I only hope it opens European opportunities for her.

Meanwhile, students are sending hundreds of applications and hearing absolutely nothing back. Graduates with internships, degrees and some experience still are unable to secure interviews. Young people are spending 40 hours on applications only to be ghosted by employers.

Employers absolutely have responsibilities here.

• Pay interns properly.
• Stop demanding three years’ experience for entry-level jobs.
• Acknowledge applications.
• Train people instead of expecting perfection on day one.

But. There’s another side to this conversation that fewer people want to have.

Because alongside the collapse in opportunities, there’s also a worrying decline in workplace preparedness. I see it constantly and it really is depressing for a generation like mine who worked 12 hours per day, in office – unimaginable now.

Some recent examples of this. A marketing student recently asked me for career advice and help. I spent time putting together thoughtful guidance. The response? Silence. No acknowledgement, no thanks.

Numerous candidates have applied to us – a tech PR agency – by highlighting fashion retail experience – without making any attempt to connect transferable skills or tailoring their application. Maybe a case of numbers, but targeting is everything.

Then there was the interviewee who arrived on the Zoom call in sunglasses. Or the intern who applied from the UK then wanted to work from Milan full-time.

In normal times, business etiquette matters, preparation matters, passion matters. At this time, it’s crucial.

At CommsCo, we hired two Gen Z employees in the last year who completely stood out from the crowd. Not because they had perfect CVs. Not because of who they knew.

What made the difference was simple:

• they understood current affairs
• they consumed media 
• they showed hunger to learn
• they worked hard
• and they genuinely cared about the work

That combination is really rare these days. The truth is that both these crises are happening at the same time.

There is a systemic employment crisis making it brutally difficult for young people to enter the workforce. But there is also a preparedness crisis, where some graduates have never been taught the basics of professional communication, commercial awareness or workplace conduct.

Universities teach theory, TikTok teaches confidence. But neither necessarily teaches professionalism.

And unless both sides change – employers encouraging applicants on their journey, and younger generations understanding the expectations of the workplace – we risk creating exactly what economists are already warning about: a lost generation.