The Thanet Youth Employment and Skills Hub, based at Nelson College in Broadstairs, officially launched last month and has already supported eight young people into jobs across the area.
Jobcentre work coaches and partner organisations have been working together throughout May to guide 16–24-year-olds into employment, education or training. Open Monday to Friday (excluding Wednesdays) from 9am to 5pm, the hub offers support to young people not currently in education, employment or training.
Tony March Partnership Manager for Jobcentre Plus said: “The new Youth Employment and Skills Hub in Thanet is already helping young people into work, just weeks after opening.”
Recruitment Consultant Annabelle Keyworth added: “Jobcentre Plus, working in partnership with EKC Group has also seen early success in the hospitality sector through a partnership with them. Its Hospitality Passport programme has helped four participants secure jobs, while all learners gained valuable work experience.”
Youth unemployment in Kent (18 to 24 year-olds) is 6.4%, higher than the national rate of 5.7%. Thanet (11.6% equating to 1,015 young people) has the highest rate of youth unemployment in the South East.
Local jobcentres are also promoting a new “Getting into Social Care” course, delivered with Social Enterprise Kent, East Kent Health and Care Partnership and East Kent College.
The programme aims to widen access to careers in health and social care and respond to strong demand from local employers. A careers event focused on the sector is planned at the Thanet youth hub in the coming weeks.
As part of the Youth Guarantee, recruitment teams are encouraging local employers to offer jobs or work experience placements, with support available through the Department for Work and Pensions.
Employers who are recruiting or able to offer work experience are encouraged to contact [email protected] to discuss support available.
An additional event will be held at Margate Caves on 24 June (10am–12 noon), bringing together around nine organisations to support people with health conditions into volunteering or employment. Access to the event is by referral through Jobcentre work coaches.
Hopefully, the program will help some people. I just wish there more opportunities available for the young people. Like real proper apprenticeships covering a number of years, in all sectors. But it is a start in the working world.
I disagree; it comes across as a desperate newsbite serving only to deflect the real issue that employment opportunities will not only get worse but kickstart a massive youth unemployment phase in all areas except where AI cannot replace humans (sorry kids, it’s those jobs you won’t do).
The only alternatives are the trades which require time honoured craft to be valuable to customers, again too much effort for our mollycoddled yoof who’d much prefer to sit in front of a screen with junk food.