MORE than 300 job vacancies are available for young people in St Helens thanks to a working partnership between the local chamber of commerce and Kickstart scheme.

St Helens Chamber is a gateway organisation for the scheme, which is aimed at 16 to 25-year-olds who are unemployed and claiming universal credit.

Around 300 vacancies have been approved so far with 42 youngsters being placed in roles, thanks to help from the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions).

Aaron Unsworth, Kickstart co-ordinator at St Helens Chamber, said: “We are thrilled at how many local businesses have really got behind the scheme and created new vacancies to support these young people into work.

“With more than 300 approved vacancies so far and 42 young people already placed into roles, it is really encouraging to see this kind of investment from businesses as we move out of lockdown.”

Businesses taking part in the Kickstart scheme benefit from funding and support and each young person is guaranteed a placement for at least six months, helping them gain valuable work experience and boost their chances of future employment.

One local business that is already seeing the benefits of the scheme is Electrovision, which is based on Lancots Lane in Sutton.

Paul Ledwith, group legal counsel at Electrovision, said: “I can’t speak highly enough about the scheme and the support from the Chamber was first class.

“As a business, we get new staff and the Kickstarters are young and quick to pick up new skills as they get a taste of the workplace environment.

“Three out of the five young people we recruited had been employed before so it is giving them a great introduction to what an 8-5 job is really like.”

Another St Helens business, Easytots, which is based on Washway Lane, used the scheme to add to their warehousing team.

Helen Davies, founder of Easytots, said: “Kickstart has enabled us to have a bit of breathing space cashflow-wise while enabling us to grow but it has also allowed us to give something back to help these young people who just need a bit of support to grow their confidence.

“We chose to go through St Helens Chamber as a gateway to process our application and everything ran smoothly from start to finish.”

Aaron added: “It is really encouraging to see how many businesses have pledged vacancies for Kickstarters.

“It shows that local businesses are investing in St Helens and are keen to invest in the talented young people in our town.

“If any young people are interested in the Kickstart scheme, they should speak to their Job Centre work coach who will refer them and help with the application process.

“Our national careers service team can also help build CVs so they are ready to apply.”

To find out more about the latest Kickstart vacancies, email kickstart@sthelenschamber.com