Opening doors of opportunity for a rising generation

As national concern grows around young people not in work, education or training, Regents Theological College offers a hopeful picture of formation, vocation and purpose.

You may have seen the news on 28 May 2026 about 16- to 24-year-olds and NEET, meaning “not in employment, education or training”, with reports of a “lost generation”.

A recent report by Alan Milburn, the former Health Secretary, suggests one in six young people will not be in work or education within five years.

The GOV.UK press release comments that his “groundbreaking investigation into the causes of record unemployment and inactivity among 16 to 24-year-olds” will also call for “young people and a range of experts to come forward with their views”.

Milburn warns that too many young people reach adulthood “to find the door of opportunity closed”.

Whilst we are genuinely sympathetic to the real challenges young people face in the UK, and work closely with students from the category Alan Milburn has researched, we would like to offer a different viewpoint.

As a relatively small theological college, we recognise some would unfairly say we are in a niche market as the national training centre for the Elim Pentecostal Churches, but 83% of our graduates were offered all sorts of employed roles when they left their studies at Regents in 2025.

We are not disputing Alan Milburn’s findings or the other qualifying statistics he has found that bring about a detrimental effect on young people’s job prospects; “mental health, the Covid long shadow, the loss of the Saturday job”; nor some recently implemented government policies.

Students at Regents also come from many of the same social and economic backgrounds, which could, but do not, hold them back from achieving remarkable things, even in similar personal and financial circumstances.

Many are neurodivergent, and include those who are autistic, or have ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia, but these differences bring unique strengths and different perspectives.

We have all sorts of professional and pastoral support routes in place, so all students can achieve the success they hope for.

And we don’t just want to train them to be informed academic theologians but, as Jesus showed us, to inspire and teach them “to go”, doctrinally strong and practically able.

Many of them do take up formal church-based ministries after college; others work in chaplaincy, health and caring professions, the police and armed forces, tourism, and social services. Some have even started their own companies and businesses.

To highlight this, after last year’s November graduation, we caught up with three of them; here again are their stories.

A theology degree at Regents not only develops a deeper understanding of God and scripture, but also covers literature, history, sociology, management, leadership and practical life skills.

Bring this together in a dynamic, Pentecostal, prayerful environment, and you can see why students successfully fulfil the variety of vocations God has opened up for them.