Employers are being encouraged to sign up for a scheme to help create job opportunities for young people. JobStart aims to develop employability skills for those at risk of long-term unemployment and to place 16-24 year olds in positions which align with their individual skills and interests.
More than 270 employers have already applied for funding from the £20million employer incentive scheme, launched by the Department for Communities last month.
Speaking after a visit to Crowded Space Drones, a video production company which has offered nine positions to JobStart participants, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said: ”The economic impact of Covid-19 on the employment prospects of our young people cannot be underestimated.
“That is why I have made it my priority to support those 16-24 year olds at risk of long-term unemployment.”
The programme provides funding for local businesses, including those in the voluntary and community sector, to create job opportunities for a period of six to nine months, dependent on criteria.
Andrew McQuillan, Director of Crowded Space Drones said: “I have been genuinely delighted by the Department for Communities’ approach to this scheme and the willingness to listen and consider the needs of employers and the wider business community.”
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