Trade body The Kitchen Education Trust (TKET), is urging employers to use the Government’s Kickstart programme, launched at the beginning of September, to employ young workers.

TKET chairman Craig Matson

Kickstart is a programme where an employer can offer a Government-funded, six-month work experience placement to a 16-24 year old currently receiving Universal Credit and at risk of long-term employment.

It aims to create thousands of jobs in the UK, but businesses are criticising the “arduous” application process.

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Representing the kitchen industry as part of the Furniture and Interiors Education, Skills and Training Alliance, TKET is encouraging employers to work with the alliance’s Skills Plus Service.

The Skills Plus initiative offers micro, SME and large employers within the furniture, furnishings and kitchen industry sectors “an affordable and simplified way to engage with apprenticeships, upskilling and retraining staff”.

It can also assist kbb companies who wish to employ young people through Kickstart.

TKET chairman Craig Matson commented: “The guidance not only requires a rigorous application process for employers, but they also need to have a minimum of 30 placements available. This makes it immensely difficult for SMEs, and even larger organisations are baulking at the resources needed to manage a program of this size.

“The existing apprenticeship system, available through Skills Plus, makes the whole process fo much easier; employers can band together to reach the 30 placements required and Skills Plus will cover the administration, relieving the burden from the companies.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for kitchen companies wishing to introduce apprentices to their business, without the financial burden – six months of subsidised labour while enabling the individual to gain skills to help them progress in their career.”

Operations manager at Skills Plus Carmen Daley added: “Skills Plus is in a unique position in that because of our existing apprenticeship processes and systems, we can either co-ordinate and act as the representation for a group of companies, or, and probably more appealingly given the list of employer responsibilities also outlined, we can just employ the Kickstart person on their behalf.”