Cabinet ministers recently held an evening of celebration for young people and employers who have tackled youth unemployment through the Kickstart scheme, which Boris Johnson hailed as having “transformed the lives of thousands.”
Kickstart was launched in September 2020 as the country sought to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The scheme secured 163,000 jobs for young people across the country, as part of the government’s wider ambition to get 16-to-24-year-olds into work.
The awards evening was held at Lancaster House one week ago on July 12, with six young people receiving awards for outstanding contributions as recognised by their employer.
11 employers were also handed awards for their roles in helping young people find work and excel post-Covid.
Data shows that seven in 10 young people who had undergone Kickstart were in work four months after completing their scheme placement, which the government said was an indication of how well the scheme equipped young people with the requisite skills for industry.
By the time the Kickstart scheme wound down in March 2022, youth unemployment stood at its lowest on record, while overall employment stooped to a 50-year low.
Commenting on the success of the scheme, the prime minister said: “Our Kickstart scheme has transformed the lives of thousands of young people, giving them their vital first step into the workplace and the confidence to develop skills, while businesses have benefitted from fresh talent, energy and enthusiasm.
“I want to congratulate all those who have made a success of this fantastic programme, with many still in work today, and I want to thank all the employers who joined us on our mission to invest in the next generation and help ensure unemployment stays at its near 50-year low.”
Work and pensions secretary, Thérèse Coffey added: “Kickstart has been a huge success for our young people with over 163,000 of them having a first taste of work after a challenging time in the pandemic. With around 30,000 still on the scheme, most Kickstart graduates are still in work, which is fantastic news. I’d like to thank every business that worked with us to create opportunities and improve the prospects of a generation of talent.”
The government has sought to consolidate Kickstart’s work by using the job centres network to support individuals who face additional barriers getting into work, a move which ministers hope will not only socially mobilise many more, but also stimulate economic growth and help alleviate the cost-of-living crisis.
Photo by Rob Lambert on Unsplash
