Calderdale education chief urges businesses to 'give youth a chance'

A Calderdale school chief has backed the Government’s bid to revive the economy after the coronavirus onslaught by utilising young people.
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Chancellor Rishi Sunak put the focus on job opportunities for youth in his summer statement, highlighting the need for a cash-injecting Kickstart Scheme to businesses so they can ‘step up and offer opportunities’.

John Rees, Principal and Chief Executive of Calderdale College, is pushing to reverse the damage by the recent pandemic, which has left Yorkshire with one of highest unemployment rates for 16 to 24-year-olds in the country.

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Mr Rees said: “The fact Yorkshire has one of the highest unemployment rates for 16-24-year olds, we need all the help we can get.

Calderdale CollegeCalderdale College
Calderdale College

“We’re behind Rishi Sunak’s additional funding for traineeships and apprenticeships.”

Mr Sunak announced a £2bn scheme of taxpayer-funded work placements for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit, a £111m programme of unpaid traineeships combining work experience with training, and a programme for firms to be given £2,000 for each new apprentice they hire under the age of 25 and a new bonus of £1,500 for apprentices over that age.

Henri Murison, the director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “We need to see businesses in the Northern Powerhouse step up and offer opportunities through the Kickstart Scheme as we have greater demand here.”

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The Government has also outlined a plan to provide additional help for longer-term unemployed, with details set to be announced later.

John Rees, Principal and Chief Executive of Calderdale CollegeJohn Rees, Principal and Chief Executive of Calderdale College
John Rees, Principal and Chief Executive of Calderdale College

Ministers said that in addition to the policies revealed in the Chancellor’s “plan for jobs” yesterday, the Government intends to support those who are out of work for a longer period with a new, large-scale employment support offering.

Other employment measures announced in the package include the expansion of support to young jobseekers, with £895m to enhance work-search support by doubling the number of work coaches in Jobcentres before the end of the financial year across Britain.

And the Government said it will also provide up to £95m this year to expand the scope of the Work and Health Programme, to introduce additional voluntary support in the autumn for those on benefits who have been unemployed for more than three months.

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An online service will be introduced to help those who have been unemployed for less than three months.

Chancellor Rishi SunakChancellor Rishi Sunak
Chancellor Rishi Sunak

Support will also be offered to claimants such as travel expenses for attending interviews.

Mr Sunak told MPs that the Department for Work and Pensions will be given an extra £1bn to support millions of people back into work.

Mr Rees said: “We’re fully equipped to help employers and young people rebuild, and welcome the Kickstart scheme as a great step to getting young people of Calderdale back to work.

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"We're the largest Work-Based Learning provider in Calderdale, rated Outstanding by Ofsted for our Apprenticeship provision.

"Every year we support hundreds of school and college leavers into the workforce by matching them with apprenticeship vacancies, and support hundreds of employers to fill jobs and develop their workforce.

"We are fully equipped to help employers and young people rebuild, and welcome the Kickstart scheme as a great step to getting the young people of Calderdale back to work."

If you are interested in taking on an apprentice, visit: www.calderdale.ac.uk/employers.