Thames Water has come under fire for organising a careers day exclusively for refugees, just days after a major parliamentary debate on the escalating youth unemployment crisis in Britain. The water company will welcome refugees to its Reading headquarters on Friday for an 'exclusive insight day', which includes lessons on various business areas and opportunities to ask questions about roles, skills, and future prospects.
Reform UK Condemns Exclusive Event
The 'Refugee Insight Day' also offers attendees the chance to network with hiring teams. Reform UK has condemned the event, arguing that it prioritises refugees over British youngsters at a time when youth unemployment is soaring. Last week, a report by former Cabinet minister Alan Milburn warned that the number of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) is becoming a 'moral crisis'.
Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's shadow Home Secretary, told the Mail: 'While Britain is sleepwalking into a youth unemployment crisis, with nearly one in five young people on track to be without work, Thames Water has decided to offer career opportunities exclusively to refugees. As a generation of young Britons struggles to get a foot on the ladder, British workers are being pushed to the back of the queue and denied opportunities in their own country.'
Thames Water Defends Its Approach
Thames Water insisted it is equally focused on improving employment and training opportunities for British young people. A spokesperson said: 'This event is just one of the ways we are creating careers and building a skilled workforce for the future of the water sector. We have targeted outreach and engagement programmes for underrepresented and disadvantaged communities, including NEETs, prison leavers, those experiencing homelessness, and care leavers.'
The company highlighted that 85% of recruits for its 2026 apprenticeship scheme are under the age of 24. It added: 'We are committed to improving workforce diversity, so it reflects the communities we serve, and we are strengthening skills pipelines through local communities and the education sector to create long-term employment and learning opportunities.'
Youth Unemployment Crisis Deepens
The controversy comes amid alarming figures from the Centre for Social Justice think tank, which revealed that employers have hired 27 young workers from outside the EU for every Briton taken on. HMRC data shows that the number of non-EU or UK nationals under 25 in employment rose by 289,400 since January 2020, while employment of young Brits increased by just 10,800.
According to the think tank, 'starter roles' traditionally taken by young Britons are increasingly vanishing, as migrants fill these positions. Thirty-one per cent of hospitality roles are now held by foreign nationals, amounting to 3.7 million jobs. Alan Milburn accused British employers of having 'been on easy street because they have been able to import migrant labour'.
The Thames Water insight day job listing stated that the company is 'proud to champion inclusion' and would 'love to hear' from any refugees interested in careers at the firm. However, critics argue that such initiatives, while well-intentioned, overlook the urgent need to address the youth unemployment crisis at home.
