Unemployment is not just an economic problem — it's a crisis of lost hope

Unemployment is not just an economic problem — it's a crisis of lost hope. Across the world, millions of young people leave school only to find that qualifications alone don’t guarantee a job.

They are stuck in limbo: educated, yet unemployed. The irony? Businesses everywhere are crying out for skilled workers. The solution, tested and proven across continents, lies in one word: apprenticeships. In England, the government is about to launch bold reforms aimed at turning the tide. A new Growth and Skills Levy will replace the outdated apprenticeship levy, expanding funding for shorter, more flexible apprenticeships and new foundation-level schemes tailored for young people. The aim? To directly bridge the gap between school and the job market, especially in sectors with acute shortages like healthcare, education, technology, and manufacturing. This is not charity — it’s strategy. Research from the European Commission and global institutions shows that apprenticeships are among the most effective ways of securing employment for young people.

In countries like Austria and Ireland, up to 90 per cent of apprentices are employed immediately after completing their training. In the UK, apprentices not only gain practical experience but often outperform university graduates in terms of job readiness. Why? Because apprenticeships combine theoretical learning with hands-on experience. They don’t just produce workers — they produce professionals who know how to solve real work problems from day one. And it's not just young people who benefit. For employers, apprenticeships are a smart investment. Companies that embrace apprenticeship schemes report higher productivity, better staff retention, and even lower recruitment costs. In the UK businesses report gaining up to £18,000 per apprentice during training — and those numbers rise once apprentices are fully qualified and integrated into the workforce.

But who pays for all this? In successful apprenticeship systems, the cost is shared — a partnership between government and business. In the UK, for instance, small businesses are eligible for government funding that covers up to 100 per cent of apprentice training costs. Larger businesses contribute via a national levy, which they can use to fund training within their own companies.

Under the new UK reforms, employers will be asked to focus their investment on younger, less experienced workers, while funding more advanced, master's level training themselves. This balance ensures that companies are fully committed to apprenticeship schemes — investing not just money, but time and mentorship. At the same time, it ensures that no willing young person is excluded from opportunity simply because of cost. Internationally apprenticeship programmes have proven just as effective. In Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, dual vocational training — combining classroom study with practical work experience — has slashed youth unemployment and built highly competitive economies. In Yemen, even in the shadow of war, a young man named Muhammad al Tahri went from despair to business owner after completing a solar panel installation apprenticeship. His story is a powerful reminder that practical training can transform lives, even in the harshest conditions. Oman, like many nations, faces the dual challenge of youth unemployment and a demand for skilled labour. Oman has ambitious, intelligent youth. It also has employers looking for talent. The missing link is a structured, well-funded, quality apprenticeship system that connects the two. To make apprenticeships cost effective government, private enterprise and education providers need to join forces. Let employers identify the skills they need.

Let technical institutions adapt their training. Let government fund the future through smart, targeted investment that delivers real economic returns — in the UK as much as £21 for every £1 invested, according to the UK’s National Audit Office. A thriving apprenticeship culture is not just a nice idea. It is an economic necessity for Oman, a social imperative and the most cost-effective investment it can make in its future.

It’s time to stop talking about unemployment and start tackling it with the tools that work. And nothing works better than apprenticeships. Countries with high levels of unemployment are running out of time. There is an AI Tsunami on the horizon and when it arrives those employees without the necessary skills will find themselves out of a job.