McNerney, was speaking yesterday at the Westminster Employment Forum Keynote Seminar: The next steps for careers advice and guidance. He was there to discuss the careers advice and guidance schools give young people to make them 'work-ready'.
McNerney said: "At the moment the current system is failing to engage with the key stakeholders in business.
"Young people are not getting what they need in terms of competencies, skills and attitudes, which will make them ready for the world of work.
"Employers have an absolute duty to help young people get a worthwhile career and it's absolutely critical we get it right."
Also speaking at the event was Jenny Rudge, chief executive of Careers South West. She said there was still a 'tremendous' amount of work still to be done on tackling the youth unemployment problem.
Rudge said: "We've got to move further ahead, design a service that does things differently and meets the needs of employers."
