Tag: Youth Guarantee

Youth Guarantee gets blockbuster backing to drive support for TV and film jobs

Young people are set to benefit from TV and film industry support for the Government’s Youth Guarantee

  • Pinewood Studios, Europe’s leading studio complex and home to James Bond and the Carry On films, is supporting the Government’s Youth Guarantee.
  • Industry leaders including Netflix, Disney and Vue International met Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden at Pinewood Studios to discuss how they can support more young people into creative roles.
  • More than 4,500 young people attended Pinewood Group’s “Futures Festival” event – Britain’s biggest TV and film careers event.

Young people are set to benefit from TV and film industry support for the Government’s Youth Guarantee.

Pat McFadden co-chaired a roundtable with Pinewood Studios at the largest free film and TV careers event in the UK yesterday, attended by industry leaders including Disney, Vue International and Amazon MGM Studios.

Pinewood’s annual Futures Festival showcased the range of careers available in film and television to young people, and employers and industry professionals spoke to attendees about the routes available into the sector.

The Work and Pensions Secretary heard how industry leaders are already increasing opportunities in the sector for young people and called on the industry to back the Government’s Youth Guarantee, which provides a guaranteed job, work experience or training to all 18-to-21-year olds.

Production spending in the UK is booming having reached £5.6 billion in 2024, a 31 percent increase on the previous year, highlighting emerging work and training opportunities for young people. However, there remains a skills gap in the sector. By supporting young people into work, the sector will help close that gap and ensure the UK maintains its position as a world leading hub for film and television production.

Pinewood Group, incorporating Pinewood and Shepperton Studios in the UK, has been pioneering youth training through its ‘Behind the Screen’ programme. Delivered in collaboration with Jobcentre Plus, the scheme supports people currently out of work by offering paid six‑month placements that provide hands-on experience and a first step into the film and TV industry.

As the latest Youth Guarantee Supporter, Pinewood’s helping to realise the Government’s pledge to ensure all young people have the opportunity to earn or learn.

Another supporter of the Youth Guarantee is All Spring Media, who provide skills bootcamps and training programmes to ensure young creatives have the experience and confidence they need to pursue their chosen career.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “With almost a million young people not in education, employment or training, we need to create pathways of opportunity and help them build careers.

“Today’s festival has shown what’s possible when government and industry work together.

“Apprenticeships benefit everyone – young people gain skills and experience, while employers gain fresh talent and new perspectives. The Behind the Screen programme is a great example of this in action, helping young people break into an industry that can otherwise feel out of reach.

“I’m delighted that Pinewood is backing our Youth Guarantee. I’m calling on other employers across the creative industries to follow their lead and open their doors to the next generation of talent.

The Work and Pensions Secretary met with trainees from the ‘Behind the Screen’ programme to hear about the training they are receiving to start their creative career.

Andrew Smith, Corporate Affairs Director of Pinewood Group said: “Pinewood Group is committed to opening doors and creating accessible pathways into the industry.

“Our well-established ‘Behind the Screen’ programme offers paid, hands‑on placements for those out of work, while our annual Pinewood Futures Festival continues to inspire and engage the next generation of industry talent.”

Sara Whybrew, Director of Skills and Workforce Development, British Film Institute, said: “For the next generation to thrive, we must level the playing field across the UK especially for those who may lack the support needed to access work on their doorstep.

“Our UK-wide skills programmes for young people – from sector specific careers advice in schools, our UK-wide Film Academy programme, through to paid work placements on studio productions and onto a range of career progression pathways – are designed to address inequalities and prioritise opening up opportunities to those currently underrepresented in the screen sector’s workforce.

“We look forward to working with DWP and our industry colleagues to enable the screen sector to play a role in supporting the ambitions of the Youth Guarantee.”

Mia, trainee from the ‘Behind the Screen’ programme: “Pinewoods Behind the Screen Programme was a fantastic opportunity to become part of a supportive community and expand my network within film.

“The programme opened doors and formed a great stepping stone into my current role at Imaginarium Studios.”

Pinewood Studios join other high-profile Youth Guarantee partners including the Premier League, EFL in the Community, Royal Shakespeare Company and Channel 4.

This is the latest step in the Government’s work to boost opportunity to support young people into employment or training.

An £820 million investment in the Youth Guarantee to support almost one million young people will create 350,000 new training and workplaces, 55,000 guaranteed jobs for the long-term unemployed, over 360 youth hubs across Great Britain.

We have also launched a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn which will investigate the barriers preventing young people from accessing work.

This builds on the work of DCMS’ creative careers campaign, which aims to improve access to young people from underrepresented communities outside London in these high growth sectors.

The Government is also seeking to grow the sectors through our Creative Industries Sector Plan, which is providing £380 million of targeted investment to ensure they can continue to grow.

Football clubs partner with UK Government to help young people into work in England

Thousands more young people are to receive life-changing support into work or training – with football clubs across England signing up to help the Westminster Government in their mission to ensure every 18-to-21-year-old has the chance to earn or learn

  • Every Premier League Football Club Charity now in talks with DWP to support the Youth Guarantee – helping more young people get into work or training.
  • Youth Hub scheme to double to over 200 locations, giving more young people access to employment, skills and wellbeing support at football clubs, libraries and community centres closer to home.
  • EFL in the Community, the charitable arm of the English Football League (EFL), and Rugby Football League confirm new partnerships, harnessing the power of sport to champion young people and break down barriers to opportunities as part of the Plan for Change.

Thousands more young people are to receive life-changing support into work or training – with football clubs across England signing up to help the Westminster Government in their mission to ensure every 18-to-21-year-old has the chance to earn or learn.

The Government’s highly successful Youth Hubs – which are hosted by sports clubs and other community venues in England, Scotland and Wales – will almost double in number thanks to £25 million investment announced today.

The funding was announced as it was revealed that every Premier League club charity in England is now discussing with Government how they can help get young people earning or learning, while the EFL in the Community and Rugby Football League have also been confirmed as new partners, supporting the same aim.

This means even more young people across the country are being helped by their local teams, as well as the Government’s other Youth Guarantee partners.

To mark the expansion of the programme and our partnership with the Premier League, Secretary of State Pat McFadden will visit Selhurst Park, home to the Palace for Life Youth Hub and Crystal Palace football club, where he will meet staff and young people benefitting from the service to see first-hand the impact it is having in the community.

Youth Hubs offer personalised, wraparound employment, skills and wellbeing support to young people in the areas of highest need. Thanks to this latest investment they will almost double to over 200 places across England, Scotland and Wales in the next three years.

The Hubs bring support, such as CV and wellbeing advice, directly to young people – taking place in settings right at the heart of the community like sports clubs, libraries and community centres.

With nearly one million young people not in education, employment or training, this expansion is helping to inspire a renewed sense of purpose and ambition in young people as well as breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden, said: “The number of young people not in education, employment or training is unacceptably high, and this government will not stand by while so many are robbed of their potential and our country of its future.

“Through our £25 million expansion of Youth Hubs and partnerships with the Premier League and other key organisations, we’re creating real opportunities for the next generation, ensuring support is targeted to those most in need.

“This investment will support our mission to give every young person the skills and confidence they need to thrive, as we break down barriers to opportunity under our Plan for Change.”

Run in partnership with Jobcentres, Youth Hubs bring Youth Work Coaches together with local partners including charities, councils and employers to provide everything from CV advice to skills training to careers guidance and wellbeing support.

In future, they will also provide access to mental health services, housing and homelessness support.

Erin is one of many young people who have flourished thanks to the government-funded support offered by her local Youth Hub.

Unemployed for two years and struggling with motivation, she visited the Palace for Life Youth Hub. After joining the hospitality programme where she gained valuable experience and confidence, she completed a work placement and was offered a permanent job, marking the start of an exciting new chapter.

The Secretary of State will host a roundtable at Selhurst Park with existing Youth Guarantee partners including the Premier League and Channel 4, as well as new partners such as the EFL in the Community and Rugby Football League.

Clare Sumner, chief policy and social impact officer at the Premier League said: “The Premier League is proud to support the expansion of Youth Hubs so young people, whatever their background, can access the opportunities, support and inspiration they deserve.

“Between 2022 and 2025, the Premier League has invested £1.6 billion into wider football and communities, helping support people of all ages who need it most, and create more chances for young people to learn and grow.

“By working in partnership with Government on the Youth Guarantee, we can build on this foundation and ensure Youth Hubs offer even more opportunities to help young people thrive.

“Together we are showing how football is more than a game, reaching those who need support most, helping them fulfil their potential and strengthening communities nationwide.”

The announcement is the latest example of the UK Government’s work to tackle the rising number of young people not in education, employment, or training.

In August, an additional £45 million was invested to extend funding for eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers across England whilst an extra £100 million will help to train up 40,000 young construction workers as the Government continues to break down barriers to opportunity under the Plan for Change.

It marks another step in the plan to Get Britain Working and raise living standards by modernising Jobcentres, boosting the National Living Wage, and creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill.

TUC: National jobs guarantee can help “turn the tide” on youth employment prospects

  • Challenges in jobs market have been “long in the making”, says TUC – as it calls for ambitious policy response
  • The number of payrolled employees has fallen by 127,000 over the past year, but the pace of recent falls has slowed.
  • The employment rate rose slightly to 75.2% from 75.1%. The unemployment rate has risen to 4.7% from 4.6%, but this is offset by welcome falls in the inactivity rate to 21.1% from 21.4%.
  • Youth unemployment is falling and is now 11.6%, down compared to the same period last year (13.3%)
  • Real wages grew by 1.2% but real and nominal pay growth are both slowing

Commenting on the latest labour market data, which show some tentative improvements alongside ongoing challenges, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Fragilities in the jobs market have been long in the making and are another toxic Tory legacy.  

“But there are some positive signs. It is welcome that both economic inactivity and youth unemployment are down.

“And the government has started to lay the foundations to reset our economy with significant investment in public services, stronger workers’ rights and improving the support people need to get into work. 

“But the government must build on this with a national jobs guarantee for young people. There are still too many young people stuck out of work, education and training.

“We know that real experience of paid work is the best way to turn the tide on long-term worklessness – and that over time this investment will more than pay for itself.”

  • TUC calls for a national jobs guarantee for young people to build on the government’s Youth Guarantee.
  • NEW analysis reveals that supporting 300,000 young people through the scheme would pay for itself within a decade and deliver over £8bn of benefits in the years after – at a cost benefit ratio of 2.8 to 1.
  • Young people let down by 14 years of toxic Tory rule in urgent need of decisive action, TUC says. 

On Wednesday, the TUC called for an ambitious national jobs guarantee for young people currently not in education, employment or training (NEETs).  

The UK faces a growing crisis in young people’s labour market participation which spiralled under the Conservatives, the TUC warns. 

The TUC says this not only has damaging consequences for young people’s prospects – but for the country as a whole.

The government has “laid the foundations” to turn this around – starting with a youth guarantee programme to ensure every young person aged 18-21 has access to learning, an apprenticeship or support to find a job, which is being trialled in regions up and down the country. 

The TUC says this should be built on with a national jobs guarantee, which prioritises young people aged 18-24 who have been not in employment, education or training (NEET) for six months or longer and young people aged 18-24 who are at high risk of becoming long-term NEET.

This would offer young people experience of a real good quality job with a real wage; opportunities to gain new skills; and an employer reference – “game changing” factors for young people approaching the labour market.

National jobs guarantee 

While a national jobs guarantee would need upfront investment, TUC modelling estimates that in the long term the cost-benefit ratio would be 2.81, with the scheme paying for itself within a decade. 

Setting out potential options for a national jobs guarantee for young people:

  • 100,000 placements in a 2-year period would cost £1.03bn but return £2.9bn.
  • 200,000 placements in a 2-year period would cost £2.06 bn but return £5.8bn.
  • 300,000 placements in a 2-year period would cost £3.1bn but return £8.7bn

The TUC says the national jobs guarantee must be designed to promote good work including by:

  • Being paid decently, either at the national minimum wage or union negotiated rate for the job
  • Meeting local labour market needs with additional roles – so that money is only used to create jobs that would not have been created in the absence of a scheme, ensuring jobs guarantee participants don’t replace existing workers.
  • Delivering quality training that puts workers on a pathway to a Level 3 qualification and ensure the worker gets experience that will enable them to move into permanent work.
  • Being sustainable, so that the placement could transition into an apprenticeship, or with a guaranteed job interview at the end.
  • Ensuring quality work which adheres to health and safety law, is accessible and promotes equality, has clear minimum standards for quality and access to a union. 

The placements should be allocated proportionately across regions, so there are a greater number of placements in areas where young people face the highest risk of becoming NEET. 

Tory legacy 

The TUC says the Conservatives failed to support young people throughout the pandemic and ever since, leading to a sharp rise in the number of young people out of work, training and education   – leaving yet another toxic Tory legacy for this government to deal with.

Almost a million young people aged 16-24 in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET), with the total reaching 948,000 in August 2025 – up from 800,000 in 2019.

The TUC says that overall disabled young people are the most affected by this crisis as they’re far more likely to be NEET (28.6%) compared to non-disabled young people (7.1%). 

TUC analysis also shows that there is a growing number of young people who are being failed by unsupported or poorly designed opportunities. 

Analysis of destination data for 16–18-year-olds who left education in 2022-23 found that a year later 14.8% of them had entered work, education or training but had not completed or continued it. This is up from 12.9% in 2017-18– and is far higher for those on free school meals at 26.8% and SEN young people at 25.9% in 2022-23. The TUC says this shows the need for high quality support in education and workplaces.

Another example of the toxic Tory legacy is the proportion of young women and men who have become NEET since the pandemic.

Overall, while rates among both groups have been growing, young men (from 11.8% in April – June 2019 to 13.1% in April – June 2025) are more likely to be NEET than young women (from 11.3% in April – June 2019 to 12.4% in April – June 2025). Young women however are more likely than young men to be economically inactive – not working nor looking for a job. 

Other risk factors identified by the TUC include: 

  • Having a below a Level 2 qualification. This is significant as, according to TUC analysis, 30.9% of 24-year-olds do not have Level 2 English and Maths qualification.
  • Having unpaid caring responsibilities

The TUC says the government should build on the positive progress in its Make Work Pay agenda to make sure more good jobs and training opportunities are accessible to all young people, particularly disabled young people and young women with caring responsibilities.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Under the Conservatives, young people were failed with many let down by the education system and stuck out of work, education and training.

“This toxic Tory legacy has hugely damaged young people’s prospects – and for the country as a whole too. 

“With the youth guarantee, stronger employment rights, an industrial strategy and apprenticeship reforms, the government has started to turn this around. 

“It’s now time for ministers to build on this progress with a national jobs guarantee for young people. We know that real experience of paid work is the best way to turn the tide on rising rates of worklessness – and that over time this investment will more than pay for itself.

“Young people across the country need access to high-quality training and decent, well-paid work – boosting their prospects and the wider economy as a whole.” 

New panel of young people to shape UK Government’s Youth Guarantee

Young people with experience of being out of education, employment and training will help shape policy as part of a new Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel in England

  • New panel of young people to advise the Government on shaping employment support for the next generation launched in Youth Employment Week.
  • Group identifies mental health challenges and a lack of focus on apprenticeships in schools as some of the biggest barriers to getting into work or training.
  • Panel marks major milestone in building the Youth Guarantee to give every 18-21-year-old the chance to earn or learn and break down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.

Young people with experience of being out of education, employment and training will help shape policy as part of a new Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel.

The panel, made up of 17 young people aged 18 to 24, will regularly meet to discuss the biggest barriers they face to building their careers and advise what can be done to break these down.

It comes as the latest data shows one in eight young people are currently not in education, employment or training – demonstrating the urgent need for reform to ensure the next generation get the support they need to get on in work and in life.

Officially launched in Youth Employment Week, the step to put young people’s voices at the heart of decision-making marks another major milestone in building the UK Government’s Youth Guarantee to ensure all 18-to-21-year-olds in England get the chance to earn or learn.

Panel members were recruited with the help of our partners, Youth Futures Foundation and Youth Employment UK. These key organisations support the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education to run the sessions.

Early insight from the panel has found that some of the most significant obstacles include mental health challenges and an overemphasis in school on UCAS applications instead of tailored careers advice, including alternative options like apprenticeships and training. Lack of public transport and access to digital tools and devices have also been raised as barriers.

The Government has already started making changes to address these challenges – including reforming the apprenticeship system, providing access to mental health support in every school and college and maintaining the £3 bus fare cap on single bus fares in England outside of London.

This comes alongside wider Get Britain Working reforms to transform Jobcentres and roll out eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers across England to test and deliver targeted skills and employment support for young people.

All views shared in the panel meetings will go on to inform policy to ensure that the Youth Guarantee best serves young people.

Giving every young person the best start in life is central to the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity in every part of the country as part of the Plan for Change.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Young people know better than anyone the challenges they face – and the support they need to succeed.

“That’s why their voices will shape how we will deliver a Youth Guarantee that truly works, opening up real opportunities for every 18-to-21-year-old to be in work, training or education.

“Backed by our £45 million investment in targeted youth employment support, this is about unlocking potential, tackling inequality and transforming lives.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “For too long, young people have been talked down to and had their opinions dismissed. The Youth Advisory Panel’s contributions so far have been incredibly insightful, and we are already starting to implement some of their suggestions.

“We have started to reform the apprenticeship system, reprioritising funding to young people, cutting red tape to make it easier to start or complete an apprenticeship and introducing foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors.

“We are also committed to improving careers advice, as well as delivering two weeks’ worth of work experience for every secondary school pupil and providing access to mental health support in every school and college.

“We will ensure the Youth Advisory Panel’s views continue to be taken into account as we continue to break down barriers to opportunity to help young people thrive through our Plan for Change.”

Barry Fletcher, CEO, Youth Futures Foundation and Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE, CEO, Youth Employment UK said: “We are proud to jointly support the launch of the Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel and welcome the decision by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education to involve young people from the outset in the design of this policy.

“This partnership is about ensuring young people have a meaningful role in shaping the Youth Guarantee, and it’s encouraging that trailblazers are actively exploring how to do this locally.

“Panel members are already highlighting barriers to education and employment and offering critical insights into the support young people need to succeed.

“We look forward to continuing this work to build a system that works for all young people, regardless of their background or circumstances.”

Shana Fatahali, Youth Advisory Panel member and Future Voices Group Ambassador, Youth Futures Foundation said: “It has been empowering to be a member of the Youth Guarantee Youth Advisory Panel.

“I’ve had the opportunity to make connections with other young people who share my passion for creating a better future. Since we are the ones using the system, we are aware of its challenges and where it needs to be improved. For this reason, youth voices are important.

“I’m honoured to be a member of an organisation that is influencing actual decisions and introducing alternative perspectives. I can’t wait to keep advocating for a system that genuinely hears, involves, and supports all youth.”

Brewster, Youth Ambassador, Youth Employment UK said: “During the time I have spent with the Youth Advisory Panel, it has been amazing to see others engage in the activities and discussions.

“I really love how committed my fellow Youth Ambassadors, Youth Employment UK, Youth Futures Foundations, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education are to change things for the better for the youth.

“I’m really proud to see this happening with my own eyes. I can’t wait to see what things will happen that will positively affect young people. I can’t wait to learn more and work towards making a positive difference to young people.’’

In May, the Government officially launched eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers across England.

Backed by £45 million, the trailblazers are testing a new form of local delivery, matching young people to local job or training opportunities. The trailblazers will provide all-important learnings to inform the national roll-out of the programme.

This comes alongside record investment in skills and apprenticeships, providing a more personalised system for employers and those looking for work.

The Westminster Government has also taken further action to boost employment and drive-up living standards through boosting the National Living Wage, creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill and overhauling jobcentres as part of the Get Britain Working White Paper.

Further information

  • The Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel has held some early sessions and will meet every six to eight weeks moving forward.
  • Officials from DWP and DfE may test ideas related to the development of the Youth Guarantee to ensure the policy effectively answers the needs of young people today.
  • Insights will be fed back to relevant senior officials and ministers after sessions.
  • The latest ONS figures showing how many young people are not in education, employment or training were published on Friday 23 May: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) – Office for National Statistics
  • The eight youth trailblazers are in: Liverpool, West Midlands, Tees Valley, East Midlands, West of England, and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and two in London.
  • The Youth Guarantee is an England only initiative as Skills, Education and Employment support are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • We are working closely with the devolved governments to share experiences and lessons learned.

Delivering the Youth Guarantee

Giving every young person the chance to succeed

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has set out more details of how Scotland’s Youth Guarantee will give young people the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The guarantee will ensure everyone aged between 16 and 24 has the opportunity of work, education or training. The Scottish Government is funding it with £60 million which will be broken down as follows:

  • £30 million through local authorities to help local partnerships to deliver employability support for young people
  • £10 million to create additional opportunities in colleges
  • £10 million additional funding for Developing the Young Workforce, the Scottish Government’s internationally recognised Youth Employment Strategy
  • £10 million to support pathways to apprenticeships

Sandy Begbie, who led the Developing the Young Workforce Group that played a pivotal role in the delivery of the Edinburgh Guarantee to young people, was asked to write an implementation plan which has been published yesterday.

The report’s recommendations include:

  • early work to identify youth employment opportunities with employers in some of the least-impacted sectors, including financial services, utilities and life sciences
  • working to introduce an incentive model where government pays 50% of wages for young people who need the most help
  • a call for the public sector to create more opportunities for young people
  • a call for businesses who would not normally have taken an apprentice full-time to consider sharing an apprentice with other employers
  • providing support to encourage SMEs to take on a young person if they are able to do so

Ms Hyslop said: “I would like to thank Sandy Begbie for the significant work he has put into developing this proposal in such a short period of time. He has engaged widely and set out ambitious recommendations for which I am grateful, and I look forward to working with him to implement them.

“The guarantee will be crucial to improving the opportunities of young people in light of the pandemic, and I was delighted to be able to speak to some of them earlier today about how the Edinburgh Guarantee has benefitted them.

“The scale of this task will be significant, and that is why we have set ourselves the challenge of this ambitious guarantee. I would urge all employers who are able, to work with us to create more opportunities that recognise the valuable contribution our young people have to make in growing our economy.

“Progress will only be possible through collaboration and a collective determination to succeed. I am pleased that the Scottish Government has become one of the early adopters of the Youth Guarantee.

“My message to Scotland’s young people is simple: we are right behind you, we want you to be successful and we will do everything we can to give you the opportunities you need.”

Mr Begbie said: “While very ambitious, in many ways this guarantee is quite simple. It is an unconditional commitment to all our 16-24 year olds, whose lives and prospects could be irreparably damaged by COVID-19.

“It is a guarantee of education, an apprenticeship, training, employment, volunteering or supported activity.  Keeping young people connected in a way they feel valued and productive is at the heart of this guarantee.

“To deliver this we need a call to action across the private, public, third and education sectors with everyone doing all they can to create opportunities for our young people.  

“The guarantee, if delivered effectively, will also go a long way to help address the inequalities we know exist, and every young person regardless of background will have the same opportunity.”

Young Person Guarantee. No-one left behind: initial report. 

Helping young people into work

A total of £60 million will be invested in a Youth Guarantee to give all young people access to work, training or education, Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has confirmed.

An implementation plan for Scotland’s Youth Guarantee is currently being developed. Funding will come from the additional £100 million Scottish Government investment for employment and skills announced last month.

Speaking to Parliament, Ms Hyslop set out more detail about what the Youth Guarantee will aim to achieve.

She said: “The young people who will make up our future workforce are among those who have been hardest hit by this pandemic. We must support our young people and I want to send a clear message to them today.

“I can announce that the Scottish Government will be committing £60m of the £100m employability fund to support Scotland’s Youth Guarantee, targeted at those most in need of support. This will support young people in a range of ways to help make the transition into work.

“I will bring forward more detail on how we will use this investment with the implementation plan, but I can say now that it will be targeted at those most in need of support, to help them make the transition into work.

“To succeed, we must invest quickly to support a range of interventions to keep young people in work in the next few weeks, to encourage employers to recruit more young people, and to ensure we have enough provision in colleges and elsewhere in the system to prepare young people for future opportunities.

“We must work collaboratively across the private sector, third sector and public sector to ensure no one is left behind, and give them every opportunity in life.

“We want employers to have a clear leadership role. I will encourage employers in all sectors to come forward and support what I see as a crucial intervention to prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) leaving a lasting impact on the employment opportunities of our young people, but also to recognise and promote the valuable and positive role that young people have to play in our economy.”

The Youth Guarantee was one of the main recommendations of the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery.

The implementation plan is currently being developed by Sandy Begbie, who chaired the Developing the Young Workforce Group in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian and helped design the Edinburgh Guarantee for young people.

A total of £100 million for employment support and training was announced last month to tackle employment challenges. £10 million of this will be used to support a range of measures to recruit and retain apprentices.

Last week the Flexible Workforce Development Fund was doubled to £20 million, to allow employers to upskill and reskill workers for new markets. A further £1.5 million was announced for Business Gateway’s Digital Boost programme to help SMEs adapt to new online digital market challenges – almost trebling the capacity of the initiative for the remainder of this financial year.