2,000 starts by young people every week into work experience or sector-based work academies

The latest statistics released by the Department for Work and Pensions also show there were 337,000 starts to work experience or pre-work training delivered as part of a sector-based work academy by 18 to 24-year-olds between April 2012 and May 2015.

This comes on top of the latest employment statistics, showing the number of young people claiming unemployment-related benefits has fallen every month for more than three-and-a-half years – or 44 months in a row.

With the youth claimant count is at its lowest level since the 1970s, ministers are launching the ‘WE can’ campaign, to match employers and young people for valuable work experience and pre-work training.

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‘WE can’ is being supported by 12,000 young people across the country and 84 ‘youth ambassadors’ from Youth Experience UK, giving tips about setting up work experience placements.

Employment Minister Priti Patel said:

As a one nation government, we want every part of Britain to benefit from a growing economy and everyone who works hard to get the opportunities they need to succeed.

That is why we have massively expanded our work experience scheme to give our talented young people the confidence they need to get that first crucial step on their career ladder.

I’m always being told you can’t get a job without work experience and you can’t get work experience without a job. Now with thousands of young people moving into work experience or training every week, this should definitely help.

Between April 2012 and May 2015 there were:

• 238,890 starts to a work experience placement by young people across Great Britain
• 98,470 starts to a sector-based work academy placement by young people in England and Scotland

Sector-based work academies offer pre-employment training relevant to the business, a work experience placement and a guaranteed job interview for jobseekers for up to 6 weeks.