Businesses who think they cannot take advantage of the Government’s new £2 billion Kickstart training scheme can still take part through a gateway body, says Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation.

The Government Kickstart Scheme will provide funding to employers to create job placements for 16-24 year olds and will create new six-month placements for young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.

A business can only sign up to the Kickstart scheme if they have a minimum of 30 job placements to offer — however approved gateway organisations, such as Make UK, can apply on the behalf of a business if they require less than 30 placements.

Fully funded work placements
Stephen Mitchell, director of apprentices and technical training at Make UK’s Aston Technology Hub in Birmingham, said: “We know manufacturing, and understand that right now it may be difficult for employers to take on an apprentice. But these fully funded work placements provide manufacturing extra support that they may currently need and a young person a chance to develop skills and experience they need to find work after completing the scheme.

“Working with a gateway organisation such as Make UK has multiple benefits - you don’t need to have 30 placements, and we can make the process a lot easier and do much of the groundwork, including supporting you through the selection process, providing training and working with the young person to help them into a job or apprenticeship after the placement. We understand the requirements of manufacturing and how to get the best out of a young person.”

The Government will fully fund each 'Kickstart' job, paying 100% of the age-relevant National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week. Once a job placement is created, it can be taken up by a second person once the first successful applicant has completed their six-month term.

For more information on the Kickstart programme, call Make UK on 0121 344 7903 or email