Kickstart Scheme
What is the Kickstart Scheme?
This scheme is specifically designed to reduce youth unemployment by helping employers hire young people into new, temporary positions. To qualify, employers must demonstrate that the position to be filled is additional, not replacing any existing or planned vacancies. Qualified businesses will get up to £6500 to take in young job seekers, give them six months of work experience, and teach them the skills employers expect from every permanent employee, covering:
- National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week (the employer can offer and fund more hours)
- National Insurance contributions and pension contributions normally covered by employers.
- £1500 toward job-related training and qualifications.
Why should you get involved?
The scheme is like a “try before you buy” programme for employers, letting you get a new hire trained and test their suitability with no commitment to a full job offer; you could use government funding to find and train your next star employee! The scheme is a great way to support and train the next generation of our workforce, and create a sense of pride and loyalty in your business.
How Can CEDIA Help?
CEDIA is here to help you: we are absolutely committed to bringing in and supporting new talent within our industry, and we strive to break the stigma often associated with skilled trades. CEDIA is acting as a gateway between the government and the employers who would like to participate in the scheme. We will not only get you started by applying on your behalf, but we will also help you to train your new hires by creating a career skills package tailored to this programme as well as offer basic industry related training. There are some great resources to help you through this process including Guidance on Choosing a Gateway and Tips For Making a Successful Application.