Young people on the Isle of Wight are being given an opportunity to learn a new career and start a brand new job.
Island employers are being urged to take on 19 to 24-year-olds as part of a government campaign to help young people to upskill and retrain.
Real job creation for young Islanders
The scheme has been welcomed by businesses across a range of sectors, including Hospitality, Tourism, Care and Agriculture.
The Traineeship scheme is delivered by HTP Apprenticeship College and is supported by the Isle of Wight Council and the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce.
Real world experience for young people
As well as helping young people to train for a new career, the scheme is also helping employers in sectors hit hard by the Covid 19 pandemic.
Businesses will be taking on trainees with learning programmes tailored to suit their individual workplace, providing real world experience for the young person, with a potential job at the end of their placement.
Real jobs for young people that are looking for a change
Rachael Randall, HTP’s Principal and Chief Executive comments,
“This scheme is all about job creation. These are real jobs for young people that are looking for a change. It presents an opportunity for employers to take on staff in roles that they might not have considered in the past. It’s also a chance for young people who might have been made redundant or furloughed in the last year to start again, by upskilling or reskilling in a new working environment.
“As sectors like hospitality and tourism prepare to reopen for business this summer, these Traineeship places offer a lifeline to companies whose business models have been reshaped by the pandemic. It’s a very exciting time and to be delivering this project as part of the Chancellor’s Plan for Jobs is a key moment for the Island’s economy and the next generation of employees.”
Island opportunities
Young Islanders will be able to take up traineeships at businesses including The Tomato Stall, Everycare, Buckland Care, Heritage Attractions, Quayside Leisure and Island Equine.
The wide-ranging programme will offer opportunities to learn valuable Food Hygiene and Health and Safety qualifications, with places available in care homes, restaurants, legal firms, education providers and horse riding.
Upskilling and reskilling
The Traineeship scheme, with its emphasis on upskilling and reskilling in a workplace environment, helps to prepares young people for employment.
The “real world” workplace experience gives young people the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge, confidence, attitudes and behaviours they need to succeed at work.
Support for businesses
Businesses are being incentivised to take on young people with a £1,000 payment for every person that they give work experience to.
HTP will work with the employer to devise a bespoke learning programme for each individual trainee. Although it is hoped that trainees will progress to real jobs within the organisation, the “light touch” introduction means businesses can take on a trainee without cumbersome commitments.
A highly flexible, low-risk proposition
Rachael Randall, HTP’s Principal and Chief Executive explains,
“The programme is highly flexible, tailored to the employer and is fundamentally a low-risk proposition. Businesses will play an active role in the recruitment of their trainee, with the costs of the training funded by HTP. There’s no requirement to pay wages and the employer will receive £1,000 for each trainee that they take on.
“There’s no commitment to employ the trainee at the end of the programme, although our strong track record in this area means that we’re confident that the vast majority of the trainees will move to an apprenticeship or further learning. We see the Traineeship as essentially a ‘long job interview’ for a potential future member of staff, where employers will want to keep their trainee at the end of the programme.
“There’s no doubt that the Isle of Wight economy has been hit hard by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our coastal communities and our tourism and hospitality employers have borne the brunt of the effects of the lockdowns. We’re excited to be working with health and social care providers, visitor attractions, the public sector and voluntary sector to give young people opportunities in these difficult times. We have places available that can lead to genuine jobs or progress learners through to apprenticeships.”
The Traineeship programme delivered by HTP is part of a £111 million investment by government to triple the scale of traineeships in 2020-21, ensuring more young people have access to high quality training.
Find out more
Find out more about a Traineeship with HTP for you or your business by visiting the HTP Website today.
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