Derby has one of the UK's highest rates of young people out of work or education
More than 500 teenagers are classed as not in education, employment or training
Derby has one of the highest rates in the country of young people not in education, employment or training, with a lack of college places being blamed as one of the main reasons.
A new Derby City Council report shows that more than 500 young people aged 16 to 18 are classed as NEET, or their circumstances are unknown.
That represents 6.3 per cent of the city's age group, with the highest numbers coming from Sinfin, Osmaston, Normanton and Arboretum.
Colleges struggling to meet demand
The report says there are too few entry-level places in post-16 education across Derby, leaving providers at full or near-full capacity and creating significant waiting lists.
It also states that 43 per cent of Derby College Group's September 2026 places were taken by young people living outside the city.
The college said it operates across Derbyshire and has reached maximum capacity, but is working to support more young people through new courses.
Its Foundation Learning programme, introduced in 2025 for students who do not meet the entry requirements for other courses, has grown from 173 students to 330 for the 2026/27 academic year.
Plans to help young people
Derby City Council says it is using a risk indicator to identify pupils aged 14 to 16 who may struggle to move into further education, alongside a wider strategy to reduce NEET numbers.
The figures come as East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward works towards a regional target of helping 60,000 people back into work, increasing employment and creating more job opportunities over the next decade.