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Kickstart your career with City of Bristol College

Young people will be supported back into employment thanks to an innovative new partnership which has been created to support the post COVID-19 economic recovery.

City of Bristol College’s solution-focused subsidiary Partners in Bristol (PiB), the Department for Work and Pensions and Bristol City Council have teamed up to launch the new Kickstart Academy. The trio are working together to ensure that the young people in the city are given an opportunity to ‘kickstart’ their careers when the job market start its recovery.

Part of the UK Government employment Kickstart scheme, the academy will run over a three-day period and aims to help young job seekers on a range of topics including:

  • How to apply for Kickstart in a digital world
  • Free careers advice and guidance
  • Confidence building exercises
  • CV writing masterclasses
  • One-to-one support
  • Links to employers
  • Understanding your current skill set
  • Resilience training

Director of Businesses and Commercial Partnerships at the college and PiB, Simon Arnold, said “The College is delighted to get this initiative up and running at a time when it is most needed. We are passionate and committed to getting young people into employment, but we recognise that some need a helping hand to do so.  As well as getting some vital refresher skills, participants will be able to meet like-minded people and start the journey back into employment together.”

Councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet Lead for Education and Skills said: “Looking for a job in the current climate is extremely challenging and we know young jobseekers are facing real barriers. The new Kickstart Academy is a welcome initiative, and working in collaboration we can help get the young people of Bristol on the right path at a critical time in their working lives.”

The past year has been challenging for everyone and the economic impact will particularly affect young people who are on the first rung of their career ladder.  The trio of partners are fighting back to ensure the young people in the city are given the opportunity to ‘kickstart’ their careers when the job market starts to take its shape again.

Sandra Creavin, Avon Somerset and Gloucestershire District Manager from the Department of Work and Pensions, said: “We are pleased to be working with City of Bristol College on this flagship government programme which focuses on helping young people to find jobs.

“We want to put young people at the head of the queue for six-month placements with local employers to improve their long-term job and career prospects.”

Kickstart provides funding to employers to create new job placements and businesses of all sizes can get involved. The £2 billion fund aims to create high quality, 6-month work placements for people aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit, and at risk of long term unemployment

The funding will cover:

  • 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week
  • National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions

Employers who take part in the scheme will get:

  • financial contributions to cover the minimum wage, national insurance and pension contributions for 6 months
  • £1,500 funding to cover costs for set up, support and training

Employers can spread out the start date of the job placements up until the end of December 2021, meaning there is plenty of time for employers to work with the college on this great opportunity for the whole city.

To find out more about Kickstart and to register for the Kickstart Academy, click here.

To find out more about becoming a Kickstart Employer please visit the council website.

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