AI, jobs and voting age on Wakefield pupils' minds

Artificial intelligence, lowering the voting age and the state of the jobs market have all been debated by schoolchildren in Wakefield as part of a nationwide study.

Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner for England, visited Outwood Grange Academy on Thursday as part of the "Big Future" survey she is conducting with one million schoolchildren across the UK.

The survey was set up in response to the government lowering the voting age to 16 ahead of the next general election, with the commissioner saying she wanted to find out young people's "biggest concerns" and "their hopes for the future".

Dame Rachel said children were "not getting what they need in terms of policy".

The 14 and 15-year-olds who spoke to Dame Rachel offered a mixed view on how optimistic they were about their future prospects in life and work.

One student, Celine, told her: "I'm hopeful for the future because I've got a really great education. However, I am worried about climate change."

Meanwhile, Florette said: "I feel quite contradicted, because a lot of students in the UK, once they turn 16, they go to colleges that are further afield.

"A lot of them, their parents can't take them, they have to get public transport.

"If we're expected to do things like that, I think we should have a say in these things.

"However, we're not adults until we're 18. We can't smoke, we can't drink. I wouldn't want children voting.

Florette added: "If we're allowed to vote then people are going to say we should be allowed to do other things [at 16] and it's a slippery slope, I think.

"But I don't completely disagree with it. We should have more voice."

At the event in Wakefield, Gracie told Dame Rachel that she was "quite worried" about the years ahead, "because once I've got my qualifications I'm not sure what I want to do".

She added: "When I try to get a job [I worry] no-one will accept me because I need the work experience, but I can't get the work experience if no-one will accept me."

Jacob said he was "optimistic for the future", but said his ADHD and autism diagnosis "makes me worry about my rights in the workplace".

Last year the government legislated to allow 16-year-olds to vote in the next general election, marking the biggest change in the electorate since the minimum age was dropped from 21 to 18 in 1969.

Dame Rachel said: "We've got a brand new government and they should be taking children seriously. They are not getting what they need in terms of policy and the focus on their lives."

"All this talent and ability in Wakefield needs rocket boosting," she added.

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