Kickstart scheme a ‘saving grace’ for struggling businesses
Businesses looking to boost youth employment via the Government’s Kickstart scheme are encouraged to continue registering their interest through Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, writes Claudia Congrave.
The Kickstart scheme was announced in July 2020 by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in a bid to help unemployed young people between the ages of 16-24 source six-month work placements.
The placements are fully funded by the Government, with employers receiving a grant of £1,500 to help set up and train the employee and a further £6,500 in instalments to cover the employment costs.
Companies interested in having less than 30 placements can submit their expressions of interest to the Chamber.
The placements need to meet the following criteria:
- Six months in length
- At least 25 hours per week (can offer additional hours at company expense)
- Paying at least the national minimum wage through PAYE
- Paying the statutory employer duties for the health, safety and welfare for young people, national insurance and pension contributions
- You will need to state what support you will provide to young people to help them get work after they finish their Kickstart Scheme job (Support with soft skills, CV writing, etc)
One business taking full advantage of the scheme is an established family-owned wholesale textile firm and Chamber member, Prubka, who are located in Birmingham’s St Paul’s Square.
Signing up to the scheme through the Chamber referral service, Prubka have already welcomed seven placements and filled roles in delivery driving and cushion filling.
Jagmon Singh Choudhary, director of Prubka Limited, said: “When the Kickstart scheme started I was very pleased to hear about if from my relationship manager who informed me of the process and directed me to a range of helpful contacts who were available to guide me through it, should I wish to get involved.
“The scheme has been really useful at this challenging time, especially for companies like ours who are in the retail and manufacturing sector.
“It’s given companies like us a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel and the message I’ve received from the Chamber has very much been ‘we are there for you’, which has been the greatest support. Without the offer of the Kickstart scheme, it would most certainly have been a struggle in the last year.”
He continued: “I've been allocated 15 placements through the scheme and have currently taken on seven of those.
“There's some excellent talent out there that just hasn’t been given the chance and it's unfortunate that the current state of the job market has caused so many job seekers to have such a lack of confidence. The people I’ve taken on at Prubka are very talented and it’s been great to see them coming out of their shell and into their own since their time with us.
“Kickstart is fantastic in helping young people get their foot on the ladder and also helping companies get back on their feet. It’s been a true saving grace and I’ve been very impressed with the information and guidance provided by the team. I would highly recommend the referral service to any businesses looking to get involved.”
Prubka will evaluate their placements once the three month period is over and hopes to keep many of them on.
They are also awaiting applications to fill their remaining positions, particularly for roles in web design and social media which they hope will help to accelerate their online presence.
So far, the Chamber has received almost 300 referrals to the scheme.
Applications are reviewed by a panel at the Department of Work and Pensions in a non-competitive process, provide funding only when the job placements meet the scheme criteria.
Once accepted, candidates can apply for the job placements and companies will choose the candidates they wish to employ.
To register your interest or for more information, please contact kickstart@birmingham-chamber.com
For more information about Prubka’s remaining placements, contact jagmonsingh@gmail.com
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