Jobs for the future

Published by Chris M for Croydon Economic Development Company Ltd in Local Government and also in Communities

Croydon businesses are getting funding to provide jobs specifically for unemployed young people.

The Croydon Economic Development Company (CEDC), through government funding, will help selected companies in the borough provide new jobs for unemployed youngsters aged 18 to 24.

The positions will be in the fields of social enterprise, waste management, event management, maintenance, IT and childcare. Each role will last at least six months at the minimum wage.

Tony Kildare, CEDC chief executive, said: "This is a new and innovative approach to working with young people to help them into work. The experience gained will give each of these young people a higher probability of getting into future sustainable employment, while businesses benefit from taking on an extra employee at no or very little cost to themselves."

Call Britannia, an outsource customer contact business centre which discriminates in favour of the unemployed has also won funding under the scheme to help young people back to work.

They are currently working with investors and looking at offices in Croydon before they can announce how many roles will be created but it is hoped to be around 45 every six months.

Both companies secured the money from the government's £1billion Future Jobs Fund which provides funding for jobs for young people and the long-term unemployed.