Lydia gets a foot on the jobs ladder
Powys County Council’s waste and recycling service is helping tackle youth unemployment by recruiting a new waste awareness assistant through the UK Government funded Kickstart Scheme.
Lydia, 22 from Llandrindod Wells, will promote recycling, raise awareness of local environmental issues, such as littering, and help support the delivery of Caru Cymru initiatives.
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers, such as Powys County Council, to create new jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit are at risk of long term unemployment. The six-month placements are designed to help long term young unemployed get valuable work experience and increase their confidence in the workplace.
Councillor Heulwen Hulme, Cabinet Member for Waste and Recycling said: “Young people are bearing the brunt of the current unemployment crisis, with the under-25s accounting for three in five jobs lost across the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The council have worked alongside the Job Centre and local training provider, Cambrian Training, to create opportunities across the council for young people. Lydia is the second Kickstart placement to start with the council."
Lydia said: “Trying to find a job during the pandemic has been hard. I’m really excited to join the council’s waste awareness team and aim to gain as much experience and training as I can in the next six months. This is just the opportunity I needed to get my foot firmly on the career ladder.”
