Kickstart Scheme among initiatives to support young people

“It is our ambition to create a skills support service to walk businesses through options available whilst identifying elements of the scheme, supporting them in creating an effective new skills plan which will prove to be most effective to their business needs.”

Warwickshire County Council has welcomed the Government’s “Kickstart Scheme” and wider initiatives to support people into training and work opportunities.

As we see the development of national offers take shape, the county’s Economy & Skills team is pleased to see employer incentives and keen to create additional layers of support, ensuring that Warwickshire businesses have the maximum opportunity in remaining sustainable as the economy restarts.

Business Skills Lead for the county, Fay Winterburn said: “We are delighted to see such schemes emerging and we know employer incentives such as the £3,000 available to businesses who offer apprenticeship opportunities to young people will be well received.

"We are confident this will allow businesses to give consideration to their job opportunities whilst taking a measure of their business skills plans as the economy moves forwards and in some places reshapes.

“In preparation for the launch of the Kickstart Scheme and additional schemes, our team have significantly increased the skills support opportunities to businesses. In recent weeks we have listened to feedback from businesses and recognise with such a wide variety of options impartial support will be needed.

“It is our ambition to create a skills support service to walk businesses through options available whilst identifying elements of the scheme, supporting them in creating an effective new skills plan which will prove to be most effective to their business needs.”

From September 2020, the team will be on hand to conduct Business Skills reviews with a number of digital events and one to one sessions available.

Key themes the teams will address are:

Apprenticeships – How will apprenticeships work for you and how to access additional funds

Traineeships – Identifying new opportunities for pre-apprenticeship programmes

Job retention – Supporting upskilling of existing workforces into evolving roles

Supportive Employer – Exploring opportunities available for young people with special educational needs

If you are a business and would like to request skills support, please contact Michael Sharman at michaelsharman@warwickshire.gov.uk