More young people in the West Midlands will benefit from one-to-one support to help them into work.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Jobcentre Plus started a pilot work coaching scheme last year in Birmingham to help young, unemployed people secure job opportunities, training or apprenticeships.
The pilot has proved so successful that the Government has extended the funding for more Youth Employability Coaches in the West Midlands.
The coaches work exclusively with young, unemployed people and are particularly focused on supporting those who face the most challenges, including those who lack good qualifications, and those, like care leavers and homeless people, who may need additional support.
The programme also helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, who may lack access to the wide range of professional and technical roles available in the region.
So far, more than 700 young people have been supported by the coaches.
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said: “With record levels of investment and job creation, the region’s economy is thriving.
“But not enough young people are being connected to these new opportunities generated by our economic growth, so tackling youth unemployment is a key priority for us.
“It’s great news that we’re able to increase the number of youth employability coaches in the West Midlands. We will continue to work with the Government to secure funding to help more young people get jobs.”
