NEET x Pioneering People in the UK: Understanding Young People’s Skills Beyond Employment Status

Nearly one million young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training. The term used to describe this situation is NEET: Not in Education, Employment or Training.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics estimate that 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 were NEET between April and June 2026, representing 13% of that age group. Among 18 to 24-year-olds, the age group most relevant to Pioneering People as an 18+ platform, the figure was 894,000 people, or 15.2%.

These figures help us understand the scale of the challenge. However, they only tell us one part of the story. A label can describe someone’s current situation, but it does not describe their skills, experience or potential.

Someone may not currently have a job but still know how to serve customers, support an event, prepare food, manage tasks, use digital tools, sell, organise or keep a team moving during busy periods. Someone may not have formal work experience yet but simply need the right opportunity to demonstrate what they can do.

That is the part we want to understand better.

NEET Is a Status, Not a Definition of Ability

The term NEET is useful for understanding employment statistics, but it includes people with very different experiences and circumstances.

Some young people are actively looking for work. Others may be managing health challenges, caring responsibilities or other barriers. Some may be looking for permanent employment, while others may need flexible, short-term opportunities to gain confidence, experience and references.

Because every person’s situation is different, the pathway into work cannot be the same for everyone.

For one person, a weekend shift may provide the first step towards employment. For another, flexible work may help balance other responsibilities. Someone else may need several opportunities to build confidence and develop a work history.

Understanding these differences is essential when creating better connections between businesses and people looking for work.

Helping Businesses and People Find the Right Match

At Pioneering People, the focus is on making flexible work easier to access for both businesses and workers.

Businesses, known as Destinations on the platform, can post work opportunities based on their needs. Pioneers can explore available shifts, choose opportunities that suit them, and apply directly. The Destination then selects the right person for the role.

The platform supports this process through business and worker verification, check-in and check-out features, reviews, and fast payment after completed work.

Rather than assuming everyone wants the same type of job or schedule, the approach is built around understanding what works for both businesses and individuals.

What Founder Track Revealed About Young People’s w Potential

This thinking also shaped Founder Track, a practical four-week programme created after the Pioneering People team began exploring the increase in young people outside work, education and training.

The programme focused on real-world experience rather than traditional classroom learning.

Participants researched businesses, developed their own pitches, approached potential customers, learned how to identify business challenges, handled rejection and developed customer-success, communication and personal branding skills.

Almost 30 young people across the country engaged with the programme.

The biggest takeaway was simple: when people are given meaningful tasks and real responsibilities, skills often appear that may not be visible through a traditional CV.

Looking Beyond the CV

Traditional employment information often focuses on what someone has done before. But for many people, especially those early in their careers, important skills may come from experiences that never appear on a CV.

Someone may have:

• Worked at events and learned how to manage customers

• Helped in hospitality and developed teamwork skills

• Used social media or digital tools

• Supported administration tasks

• Worked in retail environments

• Helped with practical or physical work

• Managed responsibilities outside formal employment

These experiences matter.

To create better opportunities, we need to understand not only whether someone is currently working, but also what they can do.

We Want to Understand What Our Community Can Offer

Pioneering People recently asked Pioneers about their current work and education situation, as well as the types of opportunities they are looking for.

This provided a useful starting point, but it also highlighted a bigger question:

What skills, experience, and availability already exist within our community?

We want to understand:

• What types of work can you do?

• What experience do you already have?

• What skills have you developed outside traditional employment?

• When are you available to work?

• What type of opportunity would be valuable for you?

The more we understand these answers, the better we can identify relevant opportunities, communicate effectively with businesses, and help create stronger matches.

Your Current Situation Is Only One Part of Your Story

Employment status is only a snapshot of where someone is today. It does not show their full ability, experience, or potential.

Whether you are looking for your first opportunity, flexible work or a way to build experience, sharing what you can do helps create a clearer picture of the skills within the Pioneering People community.

Tell us what you can do — not just where you are today.

Create your free account on Pioneering People and help us understand your skills, experience, and availability.

Pioneering People is currently available to people aged 18+ in the UK.