Precarity and Possibility

This chapter examines the labour market experiences of young men in the post-industrial cities of Glasgow and Liverpool, where deindustrialisation has disrupted traditional pathways into employment. Using qualitative interviews and national survey data, it examines how qualifications, social networks and inequalities shape young men&s;s access to work. The chapter challenges dominant neoliberal narratives that frame underemployment as a matter of individual failure, showing instead how unequal access to resources constrain opportunities. The findings reveal a labour market characterised by precariousness, exclusion and reliance on informal connections, with those lacking relevant qualifications or networks at a clear disadvantage. In response, the chapter calls for policy interventions that foster inclusive recruitment, strengthen social capital, improve job quality and integrate education with local economic strategies. It argues for a comprehensive reform agenda that tackles labour market inequalities to expand fairer opportunities for disadvantaged youth in deindustrialised regions.