Almost a million under-25s jobless

Most people think unemployment will remain high for a while

The latest government figures show that 946,000 16 to 24-year-olds are now unemployed in the UK.

The number of young people looking for work actually fell very slightly in August.

But economists reckon school leavers and graduates who failed to find work over the summer will push the figure up over the next few months.

"It is just really hard at the moment," said 18-year-old Scott from Northfield near Birmingham.

"Just because we are young they think we are going to mess around all the time.

"But if you need to get your head down and work, that's what you are going to do. They don't understand that."

The West Midlands has the highest levels of unemployment in the country.

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Hit by recession

285,000 people in the region are now out of a job and actively looking for work.

Birmingham has fared badly partly because it is home to a large number of manufacturing firms. Many of those have been hit hard by the recession as orders have dried up.

Birmingham is also one of the youngest cities in Europe with 37% of its population under 24.

Younger workers tend to lose out in a recession as firms put in place hiring freezes and cancel graduate training schemes.

In Birmingham alone, youth unemployment has jumped by almost 40% in the past year. One in four under-25s in the city is now out of work, according to the latest breakdown of official government figures.

'No-one calls back'

"I used to work in a call centre but the campaign closed so I've been out of work for a couple of months now," said Semena, 22, from Holgreen.

Scott (L) says people expect you to mess around if you're young

"When you apply for a job, they ask for your CV and they promise to get back to you. But these days no one really bothers to call you back about it.

"All they ever ask for is experience and that's what I haven't got."

There are signs the British economy, along with the rest of the world, is starting to recover.

Figures out next week could even prove that, officially at least, we are out of the recession.

Even so, most people think it will take a while for the jobs situation to improve.

Many firms are still cautious and will hold off hiring new workers until they are sure the economy is going to bounce back.

The government has already promised jobs or training to 18 to 24-year-olds who have been out of work for more than a year.

But some critics say that isn't enough.

One of the country's best known economists, David Blanchflower, reckons more radical action is needed, like continuing to pay benefits while young people take on work experience or internships.

Business bosses also want politicians to let them skip some tax payments if they agree to hire more young workers or the long-term unemployed.

But the government is already borrowing record amounts to try and get us through the recession making it unlikely they'll be able to put in place expensive new schemes to encourage companies to hire young workers.