Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called on senior business leaders across the City of London to invite young people to shadow them at work, as part of a broader government effort to address rising youth unemployment.

In an appearance on the Jimmy's Jobs of the Future podcast, Burnham said Britain needs to dramatically expand work experience and apprenticeship opportunities for young people who lack existing professional connections.

"I would put the call out via this podcast: anybody in a senior position in any walk of life in Britain should offer work shadowing," Burnham said. "Just let a young person, particularly from a background that might not be connected to yours, just come in and just be in the room."

"They do feel that imposter syndrome, and they think 'well, I can't be here.' But the truth is they can be there once they are in the room. They can see how it works, and confidence can build," he added.

The proposal targets a persistent gap in access to professional networks, which researchers and policymakers have long identified as a barrier to social mobility. Young people from families with established ties to a given industry typically encounter workplace culture, jargon, and expectations informally long before entering the job market, while those without such exposure often face uncertainty about how to navigate professional environments.

Burnham noted that during his time as Mayor, he offered a young person the opportunity to shadow him each week, ensuring they stood alongside him throughout the working day rather than being relegated to "opening the post in the corner."

The Prime Minister also indicated plans to reform how government contracts are awarded, with a greater emphasis placed on social value in the procurement process. Tying public procurement to youth employment outcomes would mark a significant shift in how the state uses its purchasing power, potentially creating leverage over firms that depend on public-sector contracts.

The initiative forms part of a wider push by the Burnham government to stimulate economic growth and reduce the welfare bill by integrating more young people into the workforce.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) surpassed one million in the first three months of 2026.

When that figure was published in May, former health secretary Alan Milburn cautioned in a government-commissioned report that the number could rise to 1.25 million within five years, potentially costing the UK economy up to £125 billion annually.

Last week, Burnham unveiled an overhaul of Britain's education system designed to better prepare young people for the labour market. Under the proposed changes, vocational training will receive greater emphasis within the curriculum, and secondary schools will be empowered to tailor courses from Year 10 onwards to align with local industry needs. Together, the education reforms and the work-shadowing campaign represent a two-track approach: restructuring what young people learn in the classroom while simultaneously opening doors inside the workplaces they are being trained to enter.