This in from the council, in their own words. Ed
The Isle of Wight Council has secured £90,000 from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to encourage young adults aged between 19 and 24 to undertake traineeships.
The council’s Adult and Community Learning Team is to work with Job Centre Plus to develop young people’s skills and confidence to assist them in securing future employment or training opportunities. The funding will enable 100 young adults to receive support.
Traineeships prepare people for their future careers by helping them with essential work preparation training, maths and English and the work experience needed to get an apprenticeship or other employment.
A range of providers
The council is working with a number of providers on the Isle of Wight, each with their own area of speciality:
- Independent Arts – an opportunity to gain arts industry experience through creative learning workshops, guest speakers and arts based activities.
- Challenge and Adventure – offering a wide range of outdoor pursuits to give people confidence, skills and motivation to move on to traineeship programmes.
- HTP – providing traineeship opportunities in hospitality, retail and business administration.
- The Shaw Trust and MC Enhancement – assisting unemployed young adults by developing confidence, teamwork and employability skills.
- Bodster Equine Learning Centre – developing personal skills through working with horses.
- Isle of Wight College – offering construction craft skills and site health and safety.
- Conflict, History and Remembrance Museum – offering construction skills using glass reinforced plastic materials
- The Isle of Wight Council will provide English and maths training via its Adult Community Learning Service.
Supporting 100 young Islanders
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, leader of the Isle of Wight Council and Executive member for chilldren’s services, said:
“We are delighted to have secured this funding which will enable us to support 100 young Islanders, providing them with the confidence, skills and training to secure employment.
“Working in partnership with Job Centre Plus and our network of training providers, there will be a wide choice of vocational options for young people taking part in the scheme.
“This scheme supports the council’s priorities of helping young people and growing the economy and we are really pleased that despite these difficult financial times we are able to provide opportunities like this.”
Apprenticeship event
The scheme will be officially launched during National Apprenticeship Week (9 to 13 March 2015), young people will be referred for the traineeship opportunities via Job Centre Plus.
During National Apprenticeship Week, the council is to host a special apprenticeship event for young people at Lord Louis Library (Thursday 12 March), details of which can be found on the council’s website.
