The head of Amazon UK has publicly rejected claims that the private sector is responsible for rising youth unemployment, as a coalition of British business leaders urges the government to accelerate its skills agenda.
In a statement issued this morning, Amazon UK country manager John Boumphrey described suggestions that employers are failing young people as “misguided and unhelpful”. Speaking at a Confederation of British Industry event in London, he argued that the onus lies with the education system to produce work-ready candidates. “We cannot solve a supply problem by blaming demand,” he said. “Businesses are hiring. The skills are not there.”
His comments come ahead of a coordinated letter to the Treasury from more than 40 chief executives, including those of BT, Rolls-Royce and Barclays. The letter, obtained by this newspaper, calls for a fundamental overhaul of vocational training and a tripling of funding for apprenticeships. It warns that without reform, the UK will lose its competitive edge in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and green energy.
The row over youth unemployment has sharpened in recent weeks. Official figures show that the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training has risen to 876,000, a level not seen since 2015. The shadow work and pensions secretary has accused “a generation of bosses” of failing to invest in young people, a charge that has stung business leaders.
Boumphrey’s intervention is significant because it breaks with the usual corporate diplomacy of deferring to government initiatives. Sources close to Amazon say the company is frustrated by what it sees as a narrative that blames business for a structural failure of the state education system. Amazon has itself pledged to train 10,000 people in digital skills this year.
The business coalition’s letter, which will be published tomorrow, proposes a national skills commission with statutory powers to align curricula with employer needs. It also recommends tax incentives for companies that offer accredited apprenticeships and a new digital skills levy on large employers.
A Downing Street spokesman declined to comment on the proposals but reiterated the government’s commitment to raising education standards. “We are investing in apprenticeships and T-levels to ensure young people have the skills businesses need,” the spokesman said.
However, critics argue that the government has cut direct funding for adult skills by more than a third since 2010. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned that the current apprenticeship levy is failing to deliver because it is used to fund existing training rather than new places.
The Amazon chief’s remarks have divided opinion across the business community. Some executives privately agree that the education system is not keeping pace with technological change. Others fear that going on the offensive risks alienating a public already concerned about job security and the cost of living.
One thing is clear: the debate over youth unemployment is becoming a proxy war for deeper questions about Britain’s economic model. The balance between state provision and corporate responsibility remains at the heart of that contest.
For now, the ball is in the government’s court. If the business leaders’ letter gains traction, it could force a more fundamental rethinking of skills policy. But without political will and public investment, the gap between what employers need and what workers can offer will only widen.
