The Welsh Government has launched a £200m programme to get more young people into employment.
Jobs Growth Wales+ will provide young people with individualised support to equip them with the skills, qualifications and experience needed to get into employment.
It replaces the existing Jobs Growth Wales and Traineeship programmes.
Contractors will also work with young people to make sure they can access opportunities, including flexible training hours, as well as help with travel, childcare costs and specialised equipment.
Businesses employing young people aged 16-18 through the scheme can claim wage subsidies of up to 50% of the first six months’ wages and on-the-job training will be available.
The Welsh Government is also launching ReAct+ in the coming weeks — a new programme to upskill and support young people who are not in education, training or employment, into work as well as unemployed adults.
It has also extended its childcare offer, so parents can be supported to undertake education and training.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said: “Supporting Welsh businesses to adapt, grow their workforce and develop skills for the future will be essential. These new programmes have been designed to help businesses with recruitment and workforce planning, creating more job opportunities in the sectors we need to grow, while supporting young people on their journey into employment.”
He added: “Importantly, they form part of our Young Person’s Guarantee, to ensure no young person in Wales misses out on the opportunity of a fulfilling career as a result of the pandemic.”
Jobs Growth Wales+ follows another new plan from the Welsh Government to get more people in Wales into work.
The Plan for Employability and Skills sets out actions ministers will take to ensure they deliver on the Young Persons’ Guarantee and support people furthest away from the labour market to find work.
It will also focus on improving labour market outcomes for disabled, Black, Asian, and ethnic minorities, women and those with low skills.
The Welsh Government has said it will work with its partners to ensure that 90% of 16-24 year-olds in Wales will be in education, employment, or training by 2050.
It will also work to eliminate the pay gap for women, Black, Asian and ethnic minorities, and disabled people and eradicate the gap in the employment rate between Wales and the UK with a particular focus on under-represented groups.
Five key areas are set out in the new plan which will take effect over this government term in a bid to meet the Welsh Government’s longer term milestones.
The five areas include:
Delivering a Young Person’s Guarantee to protect a generation from the impacts of lost learning and delayed labour market entry, and make Wales a place where young people feel confident in planning their future.
Tackling economic inequality to help those furthest away from the labour market to find work. Improving the labour market outcomes for disabled people, Black, Asian, and ethnic minorities, women, and those with low skills, including building on the community based approach in partnership with Local Authorities.
Promoting Fair Work for all to improve the offer for workers, and encouraging employers to make work better, fairer and more secure.
More support for people with long term health conditions to work and prevent people falling out of work or getting into employment because of a health condition.
Raising skill levels and adaptability of the workforce by expanding flexible and personal learning opportunities for people in and out of work to improve their skills, find work or retrain throughout their lives.
Mr Gething said: “Through the plan we want to lift people out of poverty and help everyone - particularly those furthest from the labour market - to navigate and respond to the work-related challenges they will face throughout their lives, whether that is through training, retraining, upskilling, changing career or starting a business.”
He added: “It will build on the significant labour market and skills improvement in Wales since publication of the last plan in 2018. It will also help us meet the skills required by Welsh businesses by driving workforce diversity, making the most of our talent in Wales, and shaping an economy that works for everyone.”
However, Mr Gething said the plan can’t fully replace the millions lost due to the UK Government not keeping its funding promises to Wales following Brexit. He added the Welsh Government has prioritised budgets to smooth the transition and boost investment.
He said: “We will continue to press the UK Government to back our Team Wales’ ambitions to invest in the talent of our people and restore Wales’ lost £1bn.”
