Give youngsters a chance to gain work experience
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Brian Chalmers-Hunt hears how the transport industry, through the Youth Opportunities Scheme, can help to train the young unemployed
THE MANPOWER Services Commission's Youth Opportunities Programme, which started off in 1978 as one of MSC's minority programmes, is fast becoming a major factor in the lives of Britain's school leavers, according to Geoffrey Holland, MSC's director of special programmes.
He told the Institute of Personnel Management Conference: "The undertaking to school leavers to find them a place in the Programme by the following Easter, if they found no job, applied to one in eight in 1978/79. Last year it was one in six. This year it may be one in four, or even more in areas of high unemployment."
The great majority of YOP trainees had progressed on to full-time employment, further education or career training. One in three had been offered permanent jobs by their sponsors — companies which have no legal or moral obligation to do so.
"Those entering the Programme are the neglected mass of the population who used to go into the unskilled, or socalled dead-end jobs," said Mr Holland. "Fifty-five per cent of those who entered YOP last year had no educational qualifications at all and a further 25 per cent had less than CSE Grade 1."
The Youth Opportunities Programme means that youngsters are being offered an introduction to the world of work, an opportunity to try out different jobs and both on-the-job and off-thejob learning.
In January this year there were 170,000 under 19 unemployed of these 107,000 had been unemployed for six weeks or more and 66,000 for three months or more; 43,000 were school leavers.
In the same month there were 82,000 young people on YOP.
The Youth Opportunities Programme is a five-year programme, launched to help unemployed youngsters to prepare for work and so improve their chances of getting a regular job.
The Programme is backed by Government money and has the blessing of the CBI, the TUC, and the Scottish and Welsh TUCs. Hundreds of other organisations are already sponsoring or helping with schemes and courses.
Those on the Programme are paid by the MSC through their sponsors. There is a flat-rate allowance of £23.50 a week. No tax or national insurance is deducted and the young people are MSC's trainees and not the sponsors' employees. Travel expenses in excess of £4 a week are met by the MSC.
Most young people become eligible for the Programme after six weeks' unemployment.
Places in the Programme are notified to the Careers Service and Employment Service who advise individuals on the opportunities available that will best meet •their needs. They are submitted to any particular opportunity within the Programme and a sponsor is entitled to accept or reject candidates. Some sponsors, however, maintain an "open door" policy and take anyone submitted to them.
Any business can play a part, even the smallest, as well as councils, voluntary organisations and community associations. Private individuals too can either sponsor or help to set up and run schemes.
The MSC may be able to contribute to additional costs such as renting and refurbishing premises, and providing equipment, materials and supervision.
At local levels the programme is planned and supervised by 28 area boards, which are supported by the regional and area offices of the Special Programmes Division of MSC.
Within the Programme there are two main kinds of opportunities: Work Preparation Courses. These are designed to help applicants decide which job they are best suited for, and to give them basic training up to semiskilled operator level.
Work experience schemes. These are planned to give practical experience.
There are four basic styles of work preparation course.
1, The employment induction course is usually for groups of six to 12 persons with little or no experience, few academic qualifications and unsure of what type of work they want to do. The course lasts two weeks and its aim is to improve trainees' awareness of the requirements of full-time working life.
ft should help them to appreciate the importance of basic numeracy, literacy and communications skills, to improve those skills and to help them present themselves confidently at interviews.
Courses can be sponsored by organisations such as industrial and commercial companies, local authorities, and training or further education establishments.
Once a course has been approved it is hoped that the sponsor will continue to run it for different groups of young people.
Course sponsors are requested to nominate an employee who will be responsible for running the courses; special training is provided free by the Commission's Training Services Division.
Sponsors are paid £100 a week towards the course orga
niser's salary, and, subject to negotiation, El 2 a week per trainee.
2, Short Industrial courses introduce groups of between six and 15 young folk to specific areas of employment in order to develop basic skills to qualify them for jobs at semi-skilled or operator level.
Courses last for 13 weeks and can be held in any kind of training or further education establishment and by private employers. They can be related to many types of employment, such as engineering, transport, warehousing and distribution, and office work.
Suitable sponsors include transport, industrial and commercial companies, group training bodies, colleges of further education and community groups.
Sponsors are paid a negotiated fee for each course.
3, Occupational selection courses provide assessment for young people who need the opportunity to assess their apti ies and confirm their interests fore commitment to training full-time work.
ihere are two types of courses thin this group. The short urse comprises a short as3sment period, usually two leks, followed by a period of :hnical instruction in an occation selected on the basis of assessment.
The longer course provides a 'ger and broader period of as3sment and includes more life d social skills instruction, lite)1,1 and numeracy instruction d work sample. The course )y also include some technical itruction and can vary in igth from eight to 18 weeks pending on the level, ability id aptitude of the young ople. Sponsors are paid a netiated fee for each course.
Work induction courses are the less able who require )rk related instruction in noaracy and communication be-e entering employment or cing part in other schemes unr the YOP. Training in work ills forms the basis of the Urse.
Courses last for 13 weeks and n be run in any training or -ther education establishment by private employers or comunity organisations. Sponsors e paid a negotiated fee for ch course.
The sponsors of all Work ExTience Schemes must provide -ealistic introduction to the reiirements, disciplines and tisfactions of working life in veral ways; and to explain
▪ at the scheme is aiming to ;lieve, what the trainees will doing, the organisation and people they will be with, the supervision and advice to be provided and instruction on safety procedures, etc.
The sponsors provide them with a range of jobs in different areas of the organisation.
They must also give trainees the opportunity to attend day or half day off-the-job training or further education. The Commission will meet the costs where necessary. Some sponsors or groups of sponsors provide social and life skills training on their own premises.
The sponsors help the young people to adjust to full-time work, develop confidence, and help with self presentation at interviews and preparation for the next stage after their work experience scheme has been completed.
Work experience at employer's premises are intended to give unemployed young people a chance to gain firsthand experience of the requirements, disciplines and satisfactions of working life alongside the sponsors' permanent workforce.
These placements are usually for six months, and there are no minimum or maximum limits to the number of places which can be offered. The MSC stresses that these schemes must not disrupt normal recruitment or training programmes and the young people will be an addition to the normal workforce.
Work experience schemes are particularly suitable for sponsorship by industry, commerce and local authorities, in large, medium or small organisations, branches or depots. There is scope for several organisations to combine to sponsor schemes in order to provide a wider variety of experience.
Any administrative costs incurred are regarded as the contribution of the sponsor to the success of the scheme and are not refunded by the Commission.
Training Workshop Schemes provide basic training and broad-ranging work experien.ce in a productive environment as well as equipping young people for entry into employment in a variety of industries.
Most workshops are expected to provide between 30 and 50 places, but smaller numbers are not precluded and there is no maximum limit.
Places for individual trainees can last for not less than six months and up to a maximum of 12 months with extensions in special cases.
Training workshops may be sponsored by any responsible organisation. The activities in the workshop must be labour intensive, have local trade union support and must not put local businesses or jobs in normal employment at risk.
The MSC will contribute to the capital costs of setting up training workshops and will meet the running costs — including staff wages, allowances for trainees, materials, rent, rates, etc — up to a specified limit.
Ancillary staff should be recruited from registered unemployed people.
Project based work experience gives young people the opportunity to sample a range of activities and to acquire skills and knowledge by practical involvement in projects of benefit to the community. Preference is given to projects involving environmental improvement, especially in inner city area's, and the provision or improvement of amenities such as adventure playgrounds, youth clubs and community centres.
Projects can be of varied duration but should provide work experience for at least six months for individual young people.
Community Service Schemes provide work experience in ways which will enhance and supplement the services provided for communities and individuals by existing statutory services and voluntary organisations. Schemes can include helping in children's nurseries, old people's homes, hospitals for the mentally handicapped, youth clubs and so on.
Each opportunity should enable a young person to attempt various types of work and each should offer the chance to exercise responsibility and to acquire a range of basic skills, especially in relating to people and communication with them.
Community service schemes can often best be sponsored. jointly by a group of local organisation s, including local authority departments, careers service and trade union interests.
These schemes should provide opportunities for individual young people for at least six months and up to 12 months.
Adult staff needed for running the projects should be recruited from registered unemployed people. Financial support is available from the MSC towards agreed costs of wages of adult staff and operating costs.
John Cassels, director of the Manpower Services Commission, has urged employers to"th ink twice and twice again before cutting back on skill training. I know why some feel obliged to do it. I also know what it will mean in two or three years' time if they do".
Alan Walker and Bill Dobson, who instigated Smith and Robinson's Training Centre at their road tanker depot in Leeds, besides running their)-lazfreight, Hazwaste, Hazpet and tachograph courses have seized upon the YOP scheme and are\ successfully running a ten-week day release course for groups from the Work Experience Pro
gramme.
Three girls and four boys were in the last intake of seven young people who, besides visiting transport depots, received instruction in first aid, guidance in looking for a job, wages and handling money, the police, courts, and probation service, safety at work, interview and job application techniques, as well as swimming instruction and hobbies periods.
This course is finalised with individual career interviews with the Leeds Careers Service and, according to Alan Walker, "all those who have attended the courses are now working for a worthwhile career". Bill Dobson, personnel manager for Smith and Robinson, would always be prepared to consider one of their past course students — when it is possible to increase the workforce or a suitable vacancy occurs.
Transport operators interested in providing opportunities for young people can obtain further information from their local MSC area office or from Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square London, WC1H 9NB; tel: 01-4308107.