Anthony Browne, MP for South Cambridgeshire has welcomed the progress of the Conservative Government’s Kickstart Scheme – which has got fifty young people across South Cambridgeshire into work since its launch in September 2020.
As part of the Plan for Jobs, launched last year to support jobs during the pandemic and help us build back better, the £2 billion Kickstart Scheme pays businesses to create high-quality jobs for 16-24 year olds on Universal Credit. The scheme gives young people the opportunity to find work, develop their skills, and get a crucial first step on the career ladder.
Figures released this morning reveal that 580 young people across Cambridgeshire have been helped into work thanks to the Kickstarter scheme. The number of people in overall employment in the UK has also risen by 160,000 in October – well above pre-pandemic levels.
Over the last month, on average over 3,400 young people have started a Kickstart job each week, and the scheme was recently expanded and extended until March 2022 so that even more young people can benefit from it. These roles range from sole traders to some of the biggest companies in the country. Over 215,000 jobs in total have been made available for young people to apply to across a range of sectors, including digital, creative and media, and retail.
The Kickstart Scheme is just one part of the Conservative Government’s Plan for Jobs, which also includes the £2.9 billion Restart Scheme, helping over 1 million long-term unemployed people find work; the Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) scheme supporting those unemployed for over 3 months; and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, offering 11 million adults a free qualification at any point in their life.
Mr Browne has been advising the Treasury on such decisions, drawing on his previous experience as managing economic and business policy in London as Policy Director for Economic Development. Working as part of the Treasury Select Committee, he has been scrutinising Treasury decisions throughout the pandemic, consistently calling for the Government to monitor all schemes and update as required.
Commenting, Anthony Browne MP said:
“The pandemic has been tough for young people, especially those looking for a job. It is essential that no young person is left behind as we continue our recovery.
“This Conservative Government’s Kickstart Scheme is helping us deliver on that mission - getting hundreds of people into work across the county, including fifty young people in South Cambridgeshire.
“I was pleased to have advised the Treasury on the design of the Kickstart Scheme, based on my previous experience being responsible for employment policy in London. With this new start, they will be able to access the high wage, high skilled jobs they will need for the future.
“The Government must now stay true to this goal, working to double the number of work coaches and towards the Prime Minister’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee. Such strong action will be a lifeline for countless people and businesses across South Cambridgeshire.”
Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:
“Kickstart employers in South Cambridgeshire and up and down the country are giving young people the chance to get on the jobs ladder.
“Having hit the 100,000 milestone, we are now on the last lap and I encourage employers and young people to take advantage of this opportunity as we head towards the finish line of the great Kickstart scheme”.