Twenty young people are to be given jobs with Leicestershire County Council as part of a scheme to help boost their chances of getting permanent work.
The Government’s Kickstart scheme is open to those aged between 16 and 24 who are currently claiming Universal Credit. It funds job placements for six months, but the county council is doubling the length of some placements to 12 months to give candidates the best possible start to their working lives.
County council jobs are available across several departments including fleet management, waste operations and surveying, as well as roles in business support and administration.
The new employees will shadow various manual, technical and administrative staff in their roles, learning on the job and receiving additional employability support and training. Getting involved in a range of activities within each role will enable participants to decide which elements they find of most interest and to discover where their skills are best suited.
The aim is to equip the young people with the necessary experience and skills to pursue a career either with the county council, or with other employers.
The pandemic has had a big impact on the jobs market in Leicestershire and we are doing all we can to boost the local economy and to help residents to get into long term employment.
“The Kickstart scheme will give these young people an insight into the working world and will equip them with the necessary skills to either continue a career within the county council, or to use the experience and knowledge they gain to move on to another job.
Person:County council leader Nick RushtonThose interested in finding out more about the roles on offer should talk in the first instance to their DWP Work Coach.
Supporting Kickstart is part of a package of measures offered by Leicestershire County Council designed to boost the local economy, up skills and help people into work, including:
- Launching Work+ - a free one-to-one service offering support, advice and information to people looking for secure paid employment or training.
- Extending superfast broadband to hard-to-reach rural areas.
- Investing almost £4m in supporting community groups, hundreds of small businesses and struggling rural pubs.
Employers signing up to the Government’s Kickstart scheme can apply for funding to cover the national minimum wage (or national living wage) for newly-created job roles. Funding is available for 25 hours a week for six months.