Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to increase (a) employment and (b) apprenticeships for young people in Great Yarmouth constituency

The Department understands the negative effects of unemployment can be particularly pronounced for young people and can have longstanding implications on their future earnings potential and life chances.

That is why as part of our plan to Get Britain Working, we will launch a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. The Youth Guarantee will build upon and enhance existing entitlements and provisions with the aim of tackling the rising number of young people who are not participating in education, employment or training.

DWP currently provides young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners.

For example, In Great Yarmouth, Jobcentre Work Coaches refer 16- to 24-year-olds to the Mason Trust's 'Step Forward' programme for employability support, including CV drafting, confidence building, and interview preparation. They also refer 16- to 19-year-olds in Nelson Ward to the Matthew Project's 'On Track' programme, offering 1:1 coaching and community engagement for those NEET or at risk. Jobcentres host regular Job Fairs and Provider Events, showcasing employment and training opportunities, including local apprenticeships, with around 30 employers participating.

Apprenticeships are a core part of the government’s skills agenda and a route to employment, open to everyone aged 16+, from career starters to those looking to upskill or retrain them. Work coaches nationwide, including Great Yarmouth, promote apprenticeships as a career path, and DWP employer-facing teams encourage businesses to develop suitable apprenticeship opportunities for customers.

The Government is reforming the apprenticeships to be more flexible and aligned to the industrial strategy. The Department for Education is working to introduce new foundation and shorter apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors. These will help more people gain high-quality skills, fuel innovation in businesses across the country, and provide high-quality entry pathways for young people.