The Security Institute hopes that the UK Government’s Kickstart Scheme will help introduce more young people to the world of security and open the doors to opportunities within the sector. The Institute has become a Gateway Provider for the security industry. This allows employers within the security industry, that are looking to create 29 or fewer jobs placements for young people, to apply for funding through the scheme.
According to the latest, 2020 figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), 750,000 16-to-24-year-olds are claiming Universal Credit. This highlights the numbers of young people hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and unable to find work. Hence the UK Government launched the ‘Kickstart’ Scheme, with £2bn available to employers. The Government will provide funding for employers to offer work to young people on Universal Credit.
Ordinarily, to apply for the funding available through the scheme a single employer must be able to provide a minimum of 30 job placements. The government funding available through the Kickstart Scheme will finance six-month work placements for young people. Employers will be paid the National Minimum Wage (£8.72 for adults; less for the under-25s) for 25 hours of work a week, plus National Insurance and Auto Enrolment Pension contributions. There is also the option for employers to pay for more hours. Also, a £1,500 grant per job placement is available to help employers pay for setup, support and training costs when inducting a new employee.
The Institute points to the need for the sector must attract and welcome the diverse talent among young people in the UK; the launch of the Institute’s diversity and inclusivity group was featured in the September 2020 print edition of Professional Security magazine. Young people’s fresh perspective will help the sector better tackle a variety of challenges faced by security professionals, and will ensure that we are best equipped to meet future threats, the Institute adds.
Institute Chief Executive, Rick Mounfield CSyP FSyI said: ‘The challenges faced by the security sector continue to evolve and magnify, as such it is imperative that we seek to attract more talented young people to the world of security. The Kickstart Scheme has presented a fantastic opportunity for us to do this, with full financial support of the UK Government. As a growth sector with various skills gaps, the security industry can provide an array of interesting and fulfilling roles for young people.’
For more on the scheme generally, which began in the autumn, visit gov.uk. A start date of the job placement can be up until the end of December 2021.
