The AGR made the observation in a pre-election manifesto published on 27 March that sets out what it would like a future government to tackle. ?

The manifesto includes a series of recommendations for a future administration to help employers, schools and universities to fully prepare young people for the world of work.

Stephen Isherwood, chief executive of the AGR, said: ¡°Our manifesto reflects the views of over 300 major employers, which collectively recruit over 21,500 students a year in the UK.¡±

He added: ¡°We¡¯re urging all political parties to consider the recommendations in our manifesto; adopting them will help to ensure the UK can continue to produce exceptional work-ready students and bring huge benefits to the economy.¡±

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Among these calls to action, the AGR suggests that ¡°employers should provide more work experience opportunities to pupils and ensure that all work experience of a duration over two weeks is paid at the legal minimum wage¡±.

It has also been suggested that universities should ¡°build genuine partnerships with employers and make greater use of meaningful industrial boards to help shape employability programmes across all levels¡± as well as measuring universities¡¯ levels of engagement with these employers.

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Mr Isherwood believes there is a strong ¡°need to be working harder as a country to develop young people for the world of employment¡±.

He said: ¡°The government, employers, schools, universities and students themselves all need to do their bit to inspire young people and help them achieve their potential.¡±

He believes this can be achieved by offering ¡°better careers advice and enterprise education in schools and universities, as well as more meaningful paid work experience to expose young people to the working world¡±.

Within the manifesto, Jillian Burton, graduate programme manager at Lloyd¡¯s Register, suggests that people need to be prepared for an active role in an ever changing global economy.

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She said: ¡°I feel strongly that everybody is ¡®talent¡¯, it is not just a small pool of people, we just need to harness it.¡±

She believes that we should ¡°acknowledge that the fast changing dynamics of technology, industry, cultures and economies will affect what we need from the incoming generations and embrace the new skills they can bring¡±.