This year has led to some unique circumstances when it comes to on the job education, and apprentices and mentors are finding creative ways to ensure there is as little disruption as possible.

The government has set up several schemes as part of its plan for jobs to enable apprenticeship levy providers and employers to lay the foundations for the future of their businesses.

The Kickstart Scheme is a way to provide new opportunities for young people at risk of long-term unemployment whilst also receiving funding to help ensure both young people and employers alike can succeed in the future.

How Does The Kickstart Scheme Work?

At its core, the Kickstart Scheme works similarly to a paid apprenticeship scheme, where an employer takes on a 16-24-year-old apprentice currently on Universal Credit.

Apprenticeship schemes can vary but are a combination of on-the-job training and significant levels of in-class education. Typically they will spend one day a week having off-the-job training whilst the rest of the time they are in the workplace.

Kickstart Scheme placements, on the other hand, are shorter term (six months rather than a year) and serve as entry points into more structured apprenticeship schemes. They also include a system to help the young person with their employability, typically by improving their skills.

What Are The Requirements?

To set up a Kickstart placement, there need to be at least 30 placements, spread out until December 2021. If you can offer less than that, then there are options to take on some people through a gateway scheme.

These placements must be new, and can’t be a replacement for people you had already opened vacancies for or affect the working hours of your current staff.

The jobs must be at least 25 hours per week, although this can be divided however you like. The placement must pay at least the national minimum wage, last at least six months and must only require basic training. The idea is that you will develop thier skills as part of the scheme.

There also must be an element to help the young person become more employable, which would generally involve developing their skills in a workplace, but can also involve more direct support, such as helping with their CV, mock interviews and more general career advice.

When applying you will be asked about the nature of your job placements, as well as any recruitment drives you have undertaken recently, to ensure the Kickstart roles are different from these.

Will There Be Funding?

The Kickstart Scheme does offer funding for each job placement, as well as paying the wages of people on the Kickstart Scheme.

Once a young person has passes your interview and been taken up onto the scheme, you will receive £1500 for every person that starts the placement, to pay for setup costs.

As well as this, they will be paid the National Minimum Wage, as well as have their National Insurance and automatic enrolment contributions covered.