How employers are benefitting from the Kickstart Scheme

As part of the government’s ‘Plan for Jobs’, there are a range of government programmes available for employers, including the Kickstart Scheme.

Kickstart offers six-month work placements, in new jobs, for 16 to 24 year olds who are currently out of work claiming Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term unemployment.

All of their time is spent in the workplace with in-work training to help develop transferable skills, aimed at increasing their chances of sustained employment.

Find out more about the Kickstart Scheme.

Aggregate Industries

Construction materials producer and supplier Aggregate Industries is based across 300 UK sites and employs 3,875 staff. They first heard about government incentives for employers in the news, and from attending information sessions run by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and Confederation of British Industry.

Aggregate Industries have applied to be a Kickstart employer and saw this opportunity as a way to get young people into their sector, providing them with an opportunity to learn.

Applying for funding for 39 job placements, Aggregate Industries view the Kickstart incentive as an entry route to their apprenticeship and graduate initiatives.

Those recruited through Kickstarts will work with Aggregate Industries full time, for six-months, before committing to an apprenticeship. Aggregate Industries currently has 127 apprentices in the business.

Laura Parker, Head of Learning and Development at Aggregate Industries said:

Kickstart will enable Aggregate Industries to introduce individuals to the sector, who may not naturally have considered this career path, giving individuals opportunity to learn new skills during their placement, whilst being energised about the company and sector.

In turn we are committed to ensuring individuals get real work experience and following recruiting using the Kickstart incentive we are also considering recruiting a T Level learner in 2021, when more providers come on board – offering further opportunities in our sector.