In March last year, Manx charity Junior Achievement launched website justthejob.im with the support of the Z Zurich foundation.

The aim of the job platform is to help connect young people under the age of 25 with employment opportunities in the island.

During the last 10 months, the charity has noticed a worrying trend.

Of the 500 vacancies advertised, only a handful have been suitable for young people aged below 16.

One such vacancy attracted 200 applicants, underscoring the intense competition and the need to find out what are the barriers are to employing young teenagers.

Junior Achievement chief executive Sue Cook said: ‘I started working at a retail shop when I was 14, not fully appreciating at the time just how valuable the experience would be. It taught me essential skills like customer service, a strong work ethic and financial literacy.

‘By the age of 18, those early lessons had propelled me to become the youngest assistant manager at Greggs Bakery, overseeing operations at their largest store in the North West of England.

‘Young people represent the future of our workforce, yet opportunities for those under 18 are alarmingly scarce.’

Parents have reached out to the charity to give their feedback, with one mother stating: ‘There are very few opportunities for 14 to 15 years olds to gain a job in the summer holidays or weekends.

‘A lot is because of licensing laws for restaurants etc. More needs to be done to open up opportunities for the youngsters who have the desire to do something useful with their time whilst earning money instead of sitting around at home or in town all the time.’

To address these challenges, Junior Achievement is hosting a breakfast event in association with the Department of Enterprise this Friday, January 24, from 8.30am to 10.30am at the Palace Hotel. Tickets are £5 per person.

The event is designed to bring together employers, policymakers and educators to discuss strategies for integrating young talent into the workforce.

Providing work opportunities to young people in education offers invaluable life and career benefits.

The charity add that early employment fosters communication, teamwork, and time management skills while also helping young people gain financial literacy and confidence.

These experiences prepare them for future roles and can create long-term benefits for businesses by cultivating loyal employees who grow within the organisation.

The event will present findings from Junior Achievement’s recent youth survey, offering insights into the perspectives of young people on employment.

Guest speakers will include representatives from the Department for Education, Sports & Culture, and the Department for Enterprise, alongside businesses that have successfully employed young people.

Attendees will also participate in roundtable discussions to identify barriers and propose solutions for improving youth employment rates.

This breakfast meeting is an opportunity for employers to learn how young talent can address skills shortages and keep up-to-date with employment trends and legislation.

Seats for this event are limited. Employers and stakeholders are encouraged to sign up by visiting https://www.jaiom.im/latest/ or emailing [email protected]