It's been 42 weeks since Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg pointed out in a speech back in June 2012 that youth unemployment stood at more than a million, saying that this wasn't "just an unforgivable waste - it's a human tragedy, too".
And in the same speech, he offered a solution - or at least hinted at one. The Traineeship Scheme. And more details about it, he said, "will be coming soon".
Now, bureaucracies aren't exactly renowned for their lightning speed. And up and down those expensively-carpeted corridors of power downs Westminster way, you're hardly likely to see much in the way of the kind of power posing made famous by one Usain Bolt during a certain sporting event not too long after Mr Clegg's promise of details coming, er, "soon".
However, a lot can happen in 42 weeks, or ten and a bit months. In theory, at least.
Just how much that can happen in the case of traineeships will soon be revealed. We think.
There's an event hosted by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce next Wednesday, at which, we're told, there's a very good chance that Skills Minister Matthew Hancock will be providing "key information on how traineeships work and how to get involved". That's according to the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce's website.
As for any other sources of news regarding what could be a life-changing event not just for the million or so young unemployed, but also for the nation's businesses and even the economy here as a whole ... zilch. Nada. Nothing. Yet.
And this makes us wonder just how seriously the concept of traineeship has been taken for the past ten and a bit months.
Or should that read "wonder just how seriously the Deputy Prime Minister has been taken" (insert the appropriate timespan here, and stop humming "I'm sorry, I'm sorry - I'm so, so sorry" like that. It's just not on.)
It might actually be the traineeships themselves that haven't been taken that seriously: it was only in January this year that Mr Hancock revealed some plans for traineeships in a discussion paper … and promptly closed down the whole consultation in February.
Just how much consultation went on during that time, we may well find out on Wednesday. They think.
The event at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is billed as "The Launch of Traineeships".
However, a spokeswoman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills says "“We’re looking to launch the traineeships programme shortly but we don’t have a date confirmed yet”.
Now all of this is supposed to kick off - for real - this August. And that's only 14 weeks away. They say.
So far, we're somewhat underwhelmed by the way traineeships have been developed and sold to us, and those million young unemployed.
But things, as that old song used to go, can only get better.
We hope.
