Just wondering

Spent this morning doing mock interviews for 17 year old students who haven't done well at GCSE - maybe have no passes at all - and who are on a Work Skills programme at school, hopefully leading to a BTec. They were a delight; polite and willing to get involved. But I find myself wondering about their futures. What sort of jobs are around for young people like these - who will give them a chance, and which employers will have the patience that many of them will need?