The government has chosen welfare-to-work provider Reed in Partnership to run a core component of its Backing Young Britain programme, aimed at helping unemployed 18-24 year olds into non-graduate internships and work experience placements.
 
Reed in Partnership will supply services for the non-graduate internship and work experience element of the scheme, which will place 20,000 young people in internships of between eight and 13 weeks, and 5,000 more in two-week work experience placements.

The programme, which runs until June 2011, is part of the government’s programme to create jobs, training and work experience opportunities for 16-24 year olds across the UK. The government has committed to guaranteeing every young person, unemployed for six months, the offer of a job, training or work experience, supported by up to 470,000 opportunities over the next 15 months.

Chris Melvin, chief executive of Reed in Partnership, says: “The Backing Young Britain programme is a great opportunity for employers large and small. Not only will they have access to a large pool of talent at minimal extra investment, they will also be playing an important role in helping the nation’s youth to build the skills they need to become active members of the labour market.”