Fresh plan to ease youth unemployment

Published on Sunday 8 November 2009 21:40

THOUSANDS of jobs for young people are expected to be announced this week as part of the government's drive to tackle youth unemployment.

Work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper will launch an effort to create 30,000 jobs in areas including health care, computing and engineering.

The announcement, expected on Wednesday when new unemployment figures will be published, includes an expansion of apprenticeships and training.

The new jobs will be part of the government's Future Jobs Fund – a 1 billion pot of money available for councils, charities and voluntary organisations to create work for 18- to 24-year-olds and those in areas of particularly high unemployment.

Ms Cooper said: "We know many young people are still finding it tough to get work which is why investing in more apprenticeships, education and youth jobs are so important."

The number of people out of work according to the latest figures is 2.47 million, but this is expected to rise on Wednesday.

A spokesman for young people's charity The Prince's Trust said: "It makes absolute economic sense to invest in young people now to stop them becoming the lost generation."