Employment: Seven ways the young have been hit by Covid

The BBC recently published an article Employment: Seven ways the young have been hit by Covid (28 Sept) describing the ways young people, those under 25 years of age have been, and are predicted to be, affected as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the employment market.

under-25s were more likely to have been furloughed than any other age group
under-25s now make up a third of all new universal credit claims
young adults in northern England were worst affected
online graduate vacancies fell by 60%
apprenticeships have stalled
young people’s pay could be lower for up to 3-years after the pandemic
young people are more likely to stay in education

Whilst this may be stark reading for many, the Employment and Skills Team, the people behind Work Wiltshire, thought it would be timely to showcase some of the work that has kept us busy over recent months.

Our Young Work Wiltshire, Education, Employment and Training Service was launched supporting those aged 16 and 17 who are not in education, employment and training (NEET) or are at risk of being, with one-to-one support to overcome barriers and source positive outcomes.
We publish a regular Vacancy listing featuring the latest apprenticeships, employment opportunities and volunteering suitable for those taking their first steps into employment, or with limited experience.
We continue to champion apprenticeships, supporting Wiltshire based employers to understand the rules and create vacancies, which in turn are advertised to you.
We support our local colleges and training providers by advertising their courses and events; helping you to find the right training, many of which are fully funded.
We remain active members of the South West Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, sharing good practice and initiatives with other regional employers, whilst feeding into the Education, Skills and Funding Agency (ESFA) and Apprenticeship Service.
We continue to support individuals who are facing significant challenges in being able to develop their skills, access education or move towards the world of work through the Building Bridges programme.
Our colleagues in Family and Community Learning have joined our Work Wiltshire platform making it easier to share their great range of learning.
Young people aged 15 to 25 who are NEET, or at risk of being NEET, are supported through the Get Ahead Programme
Our continued support to the Swindon and Wiltshire Careers Hub, supporting students, teachers, parents and their employer networks.
We have been working closer than ever with colleagues across Wiltshire Council, and external partners such as the DWP, Federation of Small Businesses, and local Chambers of Commerce, Serco SSW/SSR, Gloucester and Wiltshire Provider Network, and BBC Wiltshire amongst many others to ensure the team are up-to-date with the ever changing education and employment landscape so that in turn we can bring you the latest information and support.

So, if you are a young person and you feel a bit lost in this current climate please do get in touch with the team, we can support you directly or introduce you to one of our many partners that would be better suited to your needs and aspirations.

Email us – workwilts@wiltshire.gov.uk

Call us – 01225 716 890