Nathan, 21, is currently Neet and is on a six-week employability course in Leeds, run by The Spear Programme, external, a charity that supports young people across the country by coaching them in communication and interview skills.
Working with the charity has helped build his confidence in job interviews, Nathan told the BBC.
“I’ve gone into a good few interviews now, not knowing what to say,” he added.
“They [The Spear Programme] help you build your confidence going into interviews, so that you are speaking clearly with a meaning of why you’re there.”
Around half of the charity’s referrals come from the job centre, and all the young people on the course have at least three barriers to work, which could include having been in care, having fewer than five GCSEs or mental health challenges.
Nathan was excluded from five schools as a child, but now he wants to move on and build a future.
“You don’t realise between 16 to 21, those ages are when you have to start thinking about what you want to do with your life. The school years matter,” he said.
Nathan’s dream is to open his own gym business, and he wants a stable job to help him achieve that. Businesses should do more to take chances on young people, he said.