James Naish, MP for Rushcliffe, is calling on local businesses to help more young people into work as part of the government’s new ‘Youth Guarantee’.
The scheme, first announced last year, builds on the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer, which was trialled in eight places across the UK last year, including in the East Midlands, as a way of matching young people to work and reducing barriers to employment.
With nearly one million young people across the UK not currently in education, employment or training, the government has confirmed that it is investing £2.5 billion over the next three years to create more opportunities, address skills gaps in the economy and connect more young people with employers.
The Youth Guarantee consists of two main commitments. For jobseekers, it offers a guaranteed six-month paid job placement for eligible 18 to 24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months, with wages fully covered by the government, alongside wider access to apprenticeship training and tailored employment support pathways.
In return, businesses in Rushcliffe and across Nottinghamshire will benefit from support, including £2,000 grants for hiring apprentices aged 16 to 24, £3,000 for recruiting young people aged 18 to 24 who have been on Universal Credit for six months, fully funded apprenticeships and fully paid six-month placements, as well as help with recruitment and training.
Further reforms to the Growth and Skills Levy will prioritise young apprentices, giving school and college leavers more opportunities to build careers in cutting-edge industries. These measures will help to tackle the fall in apprenticeship starts among young people – down 40 per cent over the past decade. The investment is expected to support almost one million young people and unlock up to 500,000 jobs, training and learning opportunities.
James said:
“It’s well known that there are challenges in finding work as a young person at the moment. I left university just after the financial crash at the end of the 2000s and can remember how difficult things were then. At the same time, there are lots of local businesses looking for the right people to help them grow.
“The Youth Guarantee is about bringing these two things together. It offers real, practical support for businesses while opening doors for young people in our community.
“I want to strongly encourage businesses across Rushcliffe and beyond to take a look at what is available. By getting involved, you can strengthen your workforce while making a lasting difference to a young person’s future.”
The Youth Guarantee is being rolled out across jobcentres nationwide, with full coverage expected by the end of the year. Local businesses interested in taking part can find out more and sign up at: business.gov.uk/recruit
