The coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on the future of young people. We are seeing businesses closing, opportunities dwindling, and job applications within their hundreds. The pandemic has left the young feeling nervous and scared about what the future might hold for them.
From this November 2020 the government released their Kickstart Scheme, a 6-month paid job opportunity with a local employer. The scheme provides a fully funded opportunity for young people, aged 16-24 to gain paid work experience at many exciting companies in the UK.
The Kickstart Scheme Eligibility
To be eligible for a role within the Kickstart Scheme, applicants need to be 16-24 years old, on Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term employment. These placements are designed to help develop the skills and experience of the young to find work beyond the 6-month placement. Those employers who apply for the kickstart scheme funding must provide support to look for long term work, offer career advice as well as setting goals. Plus they must support with CV writing, interview preparation, and basic skills, including attendance, time keeping and teamwork.
The fundamental part of this, is that applicants need to be signed up with their local Jobcentre Plus. All roles will be filtered through them. The Jobcentre Plus work coaches will guide them through the roles they have available on the scheme and support them throughout the 6-month period. The government is expecting hundreds of thousands of roles to feature through the Kickstart Scheme and have dedicated a £2bn pot for funding the scheme.
The Kickstart Scheme Pay
Through the scheme applicants will receive a full salary of up to 25 hours a week for a total of 6 months, at the appropriate minimum wage for their age, full training and on the job support. The employer will be funded £1,500 for training, tech and support, which should be used towards training.
If you are not currently on Universal Credit, you can apply online. This could take up to 12 weeks to approve, so apply today and speak to a Jobcentre Plus coach for further support.
This advice has been provided by Xpertd, an online community designed for redundant professionals and small & medium enterprises that have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. If you are a business and are looking for advice and support to grow out of this pandemic, you can gain some insight through this platform.
