TRAINING courses for young people at risk of unemployment have received a tranche of funding from the West Midlands Mayor.
New one-year courses in sectors such as construction, healthcare and engineering will start next month at colleges across the region.
The West Midlands Combined Authority is funding the training through its devolved adult education budget, thanks to an extra £5.3m from the Department for Education.
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We know that young people are expected to be hardest hit by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and that many adults will sadly lose their jobs.
“It’s critical therefore that we support young people and adults back into work quickly by equipping them with the skills that local employers need.
“This extra funding from Government will help do exactly that as it allows us to fund one-year training courses in high-value subjects and match local jobseekers with employers who are recruiting.”
The new one-year courses will give 18 and 19-year-olds the opportunity to gain qualifications at levels 2 and 3 to get jobs in growth sectors as the prospect of mass youth unemployment looms owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
Coun George Duggins, leader of Coventry City Council and WMCA portfolio holder for skills, added: “Young people are our future and we must do everything we can to help them through this difficult time, especially if they haven’t gained the exam results they were hoping for. This additional funding is a welcome boost.
“I would also urge local employers who are recruiting to talk to their local JobCentre and find out more about sector-based work academies, which are a great way to get new talent into their business.”
Sector-based work academies last up to six weeks and comprise pre-employment training, a work experience placement and a guaranteed job interview.
