Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions meets Walsall Kickstart signings
Yesterday, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Thérèse Coffey met young people kicking off their careers at Walsall Football Club, thanks to the Government’s flagship Kickstart scheme.
As one of 65 EFL Football Clubs providing Kickstart opportunities, Walsall Football Club,have given seven young jobseekers their first taste of employment, providing valuable on-the-job experience in roles such as Assistant Sports Coach and Marketing and Media. The Club will have places available for 13 more young people by the end of the year.
As part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, the scheme already has over 20,000 young people in its starting line-up, in posts across the country from engineering to digital business. These new, subsidised jobs will boost the career chances of young people at risk of long-term unemployment – helping them get a vital first foot on the jobs ladder, and gain skills for the future.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Thérèse Coffey, said:
“With more than 400 young people starting a Kickstart job every day over the last four weeks, more vacancies like the ones here at Walsall Football Club are becoming available all the time. Kickstart is playing a vital role in helping scoring better opportunities for the next generation of workers.
“Credit to Walsall Football Club and the EFL Trust for stepping up and giving young people an opportunity to kick off their careers and reach their goals. I encourage more employers to join Kickstart and become part of this national team effort to build back better.”
Photo by Paul Greenwood/BPI/Shutterstock
At Banks Stadium, Thérèse Coffey met Jenson Jones, 20 years old, now working as a community coach for the club. Kickstart has given him the opportunity to get real-life coaching experience.
Jenson said:
“I’m really enjoying my new role and working alongside enthusiastic coaches that have a genuine love for the game. Trying to secure a job during the pandemic was extremely challenging but Kickstart has given me a chance. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity while developing new skills and gaining valuable experience with the club.”
The EFL Trust is acting as a gateway organisation, bringing together a network of over 65 Clubs, community organisations and other partners to deliver more than 1,300 jobs for young people around the country.
Mike Evans, CEO of the EFL Trust said:
“This impact of COVID-19 on our young people is clearly very significant and we are delighted to be able to offer opportunities to over 1,000 young people in our communities through the Kickstart programme. A key part of our strategy at the EFL Trust is to raise aspirations and realise the potential within our communities and a scheme like Kickstart enables us to have a significant impact on the young people who need our support most right now.”
