In an effort to assist youngsters between the ages of 16 and 24 in beginning their careers and gaining essential work experience, the government launched the program in September 2020, securing approximately 163,000 employment for young people around the country.
On Tuesday, July 12, at an awards event held in Lancaster House, six young people were recognized for their remarkable contributions as seen by their company, and 11 employers were honoured for their efforts in helping young people escape the pandemic.
The Kickstart Awards are being given out as the most recent statistics demonstrate that 7 out of 10 young people had income four months after their Kickstart employment ended, demonstrating the program’s success in preparing young people for the workforce.
When the Kickstart Scheme concluded in March, young unemployment was at its lowest point in history, approaching a 50-year low.
The prizes were given to a young woman from Surrey who supported domestic violence victims at a women’s support centre and to a young guy from Scotland who was given training in AI development by his job.
Among the positions offered by the employers who made the short list were those in filmmaking, archaeology, landscape architecture, support for animal sanctuaries, and hospitality.
Kickstart gave businesses a vital lifeline, allowing many of them to retain young people in permanent positions, including through apprenticeships.
And many of these companies have kept up their collaboration with their neighbourhood job centres as part of the Way to Work initiative, which helped 500,000 more individuals find employment only five months earlier this year.
Boris Johnson, the prime minister, said:
In addition to offering thousands of young people their crucial first step into the workforce and the confidence to build skills, our Kickstart Scheme has helped businesses by bringing in new talent, energy, and passion.
I want to thank all the employers that joined us in our quest to invest in the next generation and guarantee that unemployment continues at its nearly 50-year low and congratulate everyone who has made a success of this excellent initiative, many of whom are still in employment today.
Thérèse Coffey, secretary of state for work and pensions, said:
After a difficult time during the epidemic, nearly 163,000 of our young people have experienced their first taste of employment thanks to Kickstart.
The majority of Kickstart grads are still employed, which is good news, with almost 30,000 continuing to participate in the program.
I want to express my gratitude to each company that collaborated with us to develop possibilities and raise the chances of a talented generation.
In order to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or career stage, has access to a stable and fulfilling profession, ministers have redoubled their efforts to support those with additional barriers to employment.
They are doing this by utilizing the national network of job centres.
People are now receiving support from their job centre to advance, enabling them to increase their income, increase the number of hours they work, and launch their careers using their experience, all while promoting economic growth to lower the cost of living.