Member Article

Young people in Manchester helped onto career ladder

North West campaign Greater Manchester Commitment is celebrating the placement of its 100th young person into an apprenticeships this week.

The scheme helps unemployed people between 16 and 24 and has reached this milestone through a major campaign.

Employers are given a grant of £750 when they take on a trainee for 8 weeks of employment or more, and can also benefit from other grants whilst receiving this funding.

Greater Manchester Commitment’s celebration comes as the latest figures show a vast amount of the city’s youth are unemployed and out of education or training. Although 24,400 young people are claiming Jobseekers allowance in the region, the number of those receiving this has reduced by 3.4% between May and June.

The 100th person to be placed by the scheme has gone into Respite North West, a support service for people with physical and learning disabilities based in Rochdale.

James Guy, director of Respite Northwest, said: “We wanted to give a young person the opportunity to train up and learn the business whilst getting a qualification at the same time.

“Its good to bring in new people with fresh ideas, and it’s certainly helping us develop too.

“We’ve been really happy with our apprentice and we have already recommended this scheme to one or other centres who are now recruiting an Apprentice through Rochdale Training.”

Lauren Byron who was placed with the company commented: “I wanted to do an apprenticeship as it would allow me to learn new things, get experience, get a qualification whilst getting paid at the same time.

“This apprenticeship will definitely help me on my up the career ladder and I would like to progress on to the Advanced Apprenticeship too.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .