The UK government on Wednesday launched a new subsidized jobs scheme to help young people secure employment. The scheme is part of the government’s effort to “protect, support, and create jobs” amid the devastating economic impact of the CCP virus pandemic.
Therese Coffey, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, urged businesses to get involved in the scheme, in which she said “young people taking part will receive on-the-job training, skills development, and mentoring.”
Successful applicants will offer six-month work placements to young adults aged 16 to 24 who are claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment, without effecting existing jobs. The government said it expects the first placements to start in November.
The scheme will cover the wages of these young interns for 25 hours per week at the national minimum wage for their age group so that they can learn basic on-the-job skills and a good work ethic. Employers are also required to provide them with careers advice and other support to help them find long-term employment once the placement ends.
Employer National Insurance contributions and pension contributions will also be covered by the scheme, which will run until December 2021 and may be extended.
According to the government, about 700,000 young people will be leaving education and entering the job market this year, and 250,000 more people under 25 have claimed unemployment benefits since March.
Sunak said the scheme is “an opportunity to kickstart the careers of thousands of young people who could otherwise be left behind as a result of the pandemic,” as well as a way to kickstart the country’s economy.
In April, Sunak announced a multi-billion-pound Job Retention Scheme, paying 80 percent of the salaries of workers furloughed due to the lockdown, in order to prevent job losses.
