Youth Promise Plus on High Speed to success

These are the words of Jessica Peart, who secured an apprenticeship with a company working on the HS2 project thanks to the Birmingham and Solihull Youth Promise Plus initiative.

Jessica recently left the care of the city council and, with the help of her intervention worker, registered her details on COG – a website that matches young people to jobs in Birmingham and Solihull. As a result, LM JV – a joint venture delivering enabling works aligned to the West Midland route of HS2 – offered her an apprenticeship in their administration department. Jessica’s story can be viewed here.

Around 10,000 young people are being supported through the initiative, 574 of whom have been offered or gone into employment, education or training.

These achievements were celebrated today at an event at the National College for High Speed Rail, with employers having the chance to learn more about YPP and the opportunities available.

Councillor Brett O’Reilly, cabinet member for jobs and skills at Birmingham City Council, said: “Jessica’s story is a great example of what can be achieved if we all work together to improve the left chances of young people. I have said many times before that it is the city as a whole – public, private, voluntary – that can create jobs and training opportunities, and improve the skills level of all our citizens.

“And it’s great that our achievements were celebrated at the National College for High Speed Rail, which is a real boost to create opportunities in Birmingham and the wider region – HS2 is not just about a quick link to London, but about economic benefits to this region and creating opportunities for all in Birmingham and the West Midlands.”

Also at the event were speakers from Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson, and The Prince’s Trust.

The project is EU-funded, through both the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative.