'Kickstart' work placements created for young people in Shropshire
Dozens of work placements are being created for young people in Shropshire who may be struggling to find employment.
As part of the government's nationwide Kickstart Scheme, Shropshire Council has so far created more than 40 placements for eligible young people this month.
The £2 billion fund is seeking to create high quality six-month work placements for people aged 16-24, who are claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment, with their wages funded by the government for 25 hours per week.
Throughout 2021, the council will create more than 60 placements within the local authority and its maintained schools, offering a variety of roles including digital skills trainers, administration officers, handy person assistants and library officers.
The main aim of the placements is to enable young people to gain new skills, build confidence and flourish in the workplace, gathering transferable skills so that they are work-ready at the end of the programme. The young people in placements will have access to a full development programme, allowing them to access a variety of training tools to support them in their future careers.
Ed Potter, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We are extremely proud to support this unique initiative to provide opportunities to kick-start the careers of young people, helping them to build on their skills and experience for the future.
“This is even more important now as the pandemic continues to impact on our young people who, through no fault of their own, often find themselves without meaningful employment.
“We’ve made a great start, but there’s still more to do. Over the next few months we’ll be taking on even more young people – it’s a great way to invest in our future.”
For more information visit shropshire.gov.uk/upskill-shropshire/apply-for-kickstart-placements
