Here’s what they said
The national youth charity is joining forces with the mayor of London’s office to host an event to support young people into work and to tackle youth unemployment.
On Wednesday 9 August, City Hall will host a match-making event for young people looking for work and businesses looking for motivated new recruits.
150 young people who have taken part in The Prince’s Trust programmes have registered to take part in a day of interviews and networking with up to 30 businesses. The Get Hired event aims to bridge the gap between businesses looking for a low cost, time efficient recruitment, and young people who are ready to move into work, but struggling to access opportunities.
The youth unemployment rate for London is the second highest in the country at 16.3 per cent, second only to the North East. The Prince’s Trust works to support disadvantaged young people into work, training or education, and the charity’s work in the capital includes running regular Get Hired events to support young people into sustainable careers.
Get Hired is run by The Prince’s Trust and supported nationally by Standard Life. Launching in London, the programme has facilitated more than 2,000 interviews and introduced nearly 300 small businesses to a pool of potential recruits over three years. Following the success of Get Hired in London, the programme is now being rolled out nationally.
Rajesh Agrawal, deputy mayor for business, said: “London is a global business centre and the mayor and I are determined to do more to ensure that young Londoners are able to access new jobs and achieve their potential.
“Innovative events such as this help businesses to tap into the local talent pool, as well as giving young people the opportunity to demonstrate their enthusiasm as they take their first steps along their chosen career paths.”
Sandy Begbie, chief people officer at Standard Life, said: “We have been working with The Prince’s Trust to run Get Hired events in order to bridge the gap between young people and local businesses. There are talented and motivated young people looking for work, and this approach enables them to demonstrate their passion face-to-face with a potential employer.
“Standard Life’s focus is on investing for a better future. We believe this initiative can create a talented workforce for future generations, and reduce the skills gap facing local businesses in the long term.”
Dermot Finch, Prince’s Trust director for London and the south said: “London is buoyant, wealthy and successful, but too many young people are not able to access London’s jobs.
“The Prince’s Trust is committed to helping unemployed young Londoners benefit from the capital’s success, by ensuring they have the skills and experience that employers want. Our Get Hired Day at City Hall is just one of the ways we connect young people to jobs in the capital.”
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