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UEL pledges support to Evening Standard unemployment campaign

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Evening Standard

The University of East London has thrown its full support behind the Evening Standard’s campaign to reduce youth unemployment in the Capital.

The Ladder for London campaign was launched this week, following a series of hard-hitting features by journalist, David Cohen, which revealed how young people in London are currently faced with the worst unemployment landscape for a generation.

With one in four people aged 16 to 24 currently unemployed, and the jobless rate for young black males reaching Third World levels of 55 percent, London’s major news title is urging one in three companies to hire an apprentice.

In response to this call for action, UEL Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patrick McGhee, has written to the Evening Standard to offer UEL’s unequivocal support to the campaign. He said:  “We would like to commend the Standard for their uncompromising series of features looking at the perilous state of youth unemployment in London. On that basis, we have signalled our intent to back this campaign by providing a paid apprenticeship at the London Living Wage rate to a young unemployed Londoner.”

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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