ManpowerGroup and The Prince’s Trust Join Forces to Support Thousands of Young People Into Kickstart Scheme

• The Pandemic has Deprived Many Young People of Crucial First Steps in Their Careers
• The Power of Partnership will Support Young People into Paid Work Placements
• Balfour Beatty, VINCI, Costain, Wates Already Taking on Kickstarters

ManpowerGroup and leading youth charity The Prince’s Trust have partnered to help place thousands of young people into Kickstart work placements. The unique collaboration brings together ManpowerGroup’s recruitment capabilities with The Prince’s Trust’s long-standing expertise in delivering award-winning employability support and training. The new partnership aims to help curb the growing youth unemployment crisis facing 16 to 24 year old’s in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic by offering six-month paid work placements through the government’s Kickstart Scheme.

Recent data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that almost two-thirds of people who have lost their jobs since February 2020 have been under the age of 25. Moreover, industries where young people are most likely to work such as Hospitality, Retail and Tourism have shut down over the course of the pandemic, limiting opportunities for these people to take an invaluable first or next step on the ladder.

Mark Cahill, Managing Director at ManpowerGroup UK, said: “Over the past year we’ve seen thousands of young people’s job prospects hampered by the realities of the pandemic. Youth unemployment has increased by 10% since February 2020, and those under 25 are facing the most challenging labour market conditions in a generation. It’s crucial to ensure that young people are at the centre of the economic recovery and are given the opportunity to gain vital skills and experience for their future careers.”

“We all have a duty to do our bit to help young people enter the labour market. That’s why working together was an easy decision to make, bringing together ManpowerGroup’s expertise as a Kickstart Gateway and The Prince’s Trust’s extensive employability support. This is a compelling offer that we believe removes many of the barriers or reservations which employers have in relation to the Kickstart scheme, whilst also offering the best support and training around to the young people themselves.”

Jonathan Townsend, UK Chief Executive, The Prince’s Trust, said: “We are committed to helping unemployed young people find and prepare for work through this partnership with ManpowerGroup. The support we can offer young people on Kickstart placements will help give them the best possible start in their new roles, building the self-confidence, skills and experience they need to realise their goals. Together with ManpowerGroup, we will ensure their potential isn’t lost to long-term joblessness and that their employers benefit from building a diverse and talented workforce.”

Mims Davies, Minister for Employment: “The Kickstart Scheme is already creating new and exciting opportunities for our next generation of workers and it’s fantastic to see ManpowerGroup and The Prince’s Trust join forces to help employers provide each young person with the essential workplace skills to vitally improve their future job prospects.”

“Young people have been hit especially hard by the impact of this pandemic and that’s why they are at the heart of our Plan for Jobs, providing opportunities to help them get ahead and move into employment as we push to build back better.”

The partnership is already working with over 30 employers including the Built Environment Coalition offering young people the opportunity to enter the construction trade, learn hands on and develop a sustainable career. Over 300 placements are currently being managed for employers including Balfour Beatty, Balfour Beatty VINCI, Costain and Wates as well as a number of smaller and medium-sized organisations.

More information on the ManpowerGroup & The Prince’s Trust Partnership

The partnership provides expert advice and administrative support for employers looking to take on young people through Kickstart, handling the application for grant funding and distribution once granted. Young people will also have access to a high-quality wraparound support scheme targeted to improve their employability in the long-run designed and delivered by The Prince’s Trust.

For more information on this partnership, visit https://kickstart.manpowergroup.co.uk/