Bosses should not rely so heavily on virtual job interviews when hiring as they don’t capture candidates’ personality and passion, Andy Burnham has said.

“One thing I really don’t like is this culture now of interviewing via Zoom or Teams,” the prime minister told a careers podcast, adding: “How does a young person shine in that situation?”

With more than one million 16 to 25-year-olds not in work or education, and vacancies at a five-year low, firms are increasingly turning to AI to sift through applications and choosing online interviews over in-person.

But some young people have told the BBC the experience of applying for hundreds of jobs and never hearing back is “robotic and brutal”.

It comes as some 89% of UK recruiters say they are planning to use more AI in the hiring process this year, according to data from Linked In.

Speaking to former political adviser Jimmy McLoughlin on his podcast Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future, Burnham said he was concerned that the use of technology was not making recruitment processes “fairer”.

“How do you get over some of your personality, your passion?” he asked, referring to virtual interviews. “It seems to me to then work against people who have that side to their character and work for those who are just giving the more formulaic answer.

“I do worry about that and I’ve seen that in relation to my kids and their situation.”

More than one million 16-25-year-olds are not in education, employment or training – the highest level in more than 12 years, official figures show.

A major review by former minister Alan Milburn found job and career opportunities for young people are “not growing, they’re shrinking” with one in six set to be out of work, education or training in five years unless action is taken.

“We are at risk of a lost generation” with young adults facing a “perfect storm” of challenges, Milburn warned in May.

Burnham also told the podcast that companies who provide six-week work placements for teenagers could be prioritised for government contracts.

He said he wanted to increase the number of 45-day placements, to give 16 to 18-year-olds the chance to spend more time with an employer and gain practical experience.

The PM also called for senior executives to offer young people who do not have established contact networks the chance to shadow them.

It comes after Burnham unveiled plans on Tuesday to open up new technical education routes to 14-year-olds, which would be put on the same footing as traditional academic pathways.

From Year 10, pupils will be able to combine core academic subjects, such as English and maths, with technical education linked to jobs in their area.