Josh MacAlister MP has welcomed new Government support for apprenticeships, technical education and youth employment, saying it will help West Cumbria build on its strengths and drive his ambition to make the area “NEET Zero”.
Josh launched the NEET Zero ambition at Lakes College earlier this summer, with the aim of ensuring every young person in West Cumbria has a route into education, employment or training.
West Cumbria is already leading the way in technical education and apprenticeships, with institutions including Lakes College and Energy Coast UTC working alongside major local employers to develop the skilled workforce of the future.
The package includes a new bursary worth up to £4,500 a year per household for some families where the benefits system can currently make it financially difficult for a young person to take up an apprenticeship, alongside more than 22,000 additional places in colleges and post-16 education, backed by £287 million.
Apprenticeship training is also being fully funded for eligible under-25s, alongside support worth up to £8,000 for small and medium-sized businesses taking on young apprentices. The wider package will help create 50,000 new youth apprenticeships by the end of this Parliament.
A new Youth Jobs Grant will also give businesses £3,000 when they recruit an eligible 18 to 24-year-old who has been unemployed and receiving Universal Credit for six months.
Josh said:
“Our ambition should be to make West Cumbria NEET Zero – so that no young person is left without a route into work, education or training.
“We already have brilliant technical education and apprenticeship opportunities here, and some of the country’s biggest opportunities in nuclear, engineering and advanced manufacturing are on our doorstep.
“The challenge is making sure every local young person can access them. These new measures will remove financial barriers for young people and make it easier for businesses to give someone their first opportunity.
“Government investment should build on the brilliant work already happening in West Cumbria. By bringing employers, schools, colleges and training providers together, we can make sure local young people are first in line for the jobs being created here and move closer to making NEET Zero a reality.”
Josh MacAlister MP 