Youth wage incentive scheme extended

Employers in Orkney who take on young people could benefit from Scottish Government funding available through Orkney Islands Council, following an extension to the national Youth Employment Scotland, or ‘YES’ Scheme.

To date, the scheme has helped place 17 local young people in a wide range of newly-created jobs – including a laboratory technician, apprentice plumber, beautician, office assistant and farmhand.

The YES scheme provides a 50% funding incentive for local companies who commit to providing a new post (of 25-40 hours a week) to an unemployed young person (16 – 24) for at least six months. The scheme has now been extended until the end of the year.

Head of leisure and lifelong learning at the OIC Karen Greaves, said: “The YES scheme has been well received in Orkney to date, and has really helped give businesses the confidence to commit to creating a new job for a young person.

“It’s worth noting that the scheme does allow for assistance to be backdated in some cases – so we’d urge any local business who has either recently taken on a young person in a newly created job, or who is thinking of doing so, to check if they’re eligible for some funding.”

The fund is part of an overall £87.85m investment to help Scotland’s young people into work, bringing together resources from the Scottish Government, local councils, COSLA, the European Commission and employers.

It is hoped the investment will help up to 10,000 young people across Scotland into employment.

For more information on the wage incentive scheme, contact Erik Firth, employer engagement worker at the Job Centre on tel 885 325 erik.firth@dwp.gsi.gov.uk