Sponsored by
Clegg makes plea to firms in drive to cut youth unemployment
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has appealed to businesses to sign up to the coalition’s drive to tackle youth unemployment.
The £1bn Youth Contract is intended to create at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24-year-olds over the next three years. Under the scheme, from April firms will get help with their wages worth £2,275.
“Getting young people earning or learning is my top priority, and that’s what the Youth Contract is going to do,” the Liberal Democrat leader said.
“This is a long-term boost to help business get young people into jobs before lasting damage is done. Employers have a huge part to play in this and the subsidy we’re announcing today benefits business and young people.”
Mr Clegg made his comments as he met young apprentices at K&M McLoughlin Decorating Ltd in Islington, north London, which has its own school.
The firm was started in 1988 by Kevin McLoughlin, who worked his way up from being an apprentice to owning the company, which has a turnover of more than £6m a year.
It has been involved in some of the capital’s biggest building projects.
The firm opened its decorating school in October 2010 and now has 22 apprentices.
Mr McLoughlin, 54, said the last 25 years have seen 90 per cent of companies stop training youngsters,.
He warned the Government needed to close loopholes which allowed companies to sub-contract their workforce.
He added: “If the Government was truly committed to apprentices, they would close the legal loopholes that allow companies to sub-contract their workforce on a long-term basis, whether that is through an agency or the traditional labour-only sub-contract route.”
Email to a friend
Print this page- Leeds lose Ward to Palace: Is there anyone they can afford now?
- Sheffield Wednesday leaving it late to hijack Leeds United over Ward
- As Snodgrass dithers over Leeds, Warnock throws a lifeline
- Ball is in Leeds United’s court over contract - Snodgrass
- Police turning blind eye to Asian voter fraud, says MP
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.