Businesses incentivised to offer recruitment and training

The Telegraph has reported that some firms will receive a cash incentive for recruiting and training the long-term unemployed.

Under the government scheme, firms will get £2,500 for every person they recruit and train who has been unemployed for six months or more.

The paper reported that Gordon Brown’s £500 million emergency jobs package would also see money being ploughed into new training places.

According to the Telegraph, Mr Brown will tell the jobs summit: “We say – invest to extend real help now to those who lose their jobs.

“The message is simple: we won’t give up on you, but in turn you must not give up on work, on skills, and on training.”

The Telegraph also quoted Brendan Barber, the Trades Union Congress general secretary, who has called for improved support for those employers who are facing redundancy and increased training.

Mr Barber praised the government for “increasing investment in training” but warned that it “can do more”.