West Cumbria aims for NEET Zero with new youth employment initiatives

West Cumbria is stepping up its efforts to achieve NEET Zero with new government support for apprenticeships, technical education, and youth employment.

Josh MacAlister MP has welcomed these initiatives, citing them as key to helping the region capitalise on its strengths and ensure every young person has a pathway into education, employment, or training.

Introduced earlier this summer at Lakes College, the NEET Zero ambition aims for West Cumbria to have no youth Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET).

The area is already a leader in technical education and apprenticeships, with institutions like Lakes College and Energy Coast UTC collaborating with major local employers to forge a skilled workforce.

The government package includes significant support, such as a new bursary of up to £4,500 a year per household to ease financial burdens for families and over 22,000 additional college and post-16 education places backed by £287 million.

Furthermore, apprenticeship training will be fully funded for eligible under-25s, and support worth up to £8,000 is available to small and medium-sized businesses hiring young apprentices.

The initiative aims to create 50,000 new youth apprenticeships by the end of this Parliament.

Additionally, a new Youth Jobs Grant will offer businesses £3,000 when they recruit eligible 18 to 24-year-olds unemployed and receiving Universal Credit for six months.

Josh MacAlister stated:

“Our ambition should be to make West Cumbria NEET Zero - so that no young person is left without a route into work, education or training.

“We already have brilliant technical education and apprenticeship opportunities here, and some of the country’s biggest opportunities in nuclear, engineering and advanced manufacturing are on our doorstep.

“The challenge is making sure every local young person can access them. These new measures will remove financial barriers for young people and make it easier for businesses to give someone their first opportunity.

“Government investment should build on the brilliant work already happening in West Cumbria. By bringing employers, schools, colleges and training providers together, we can make sure local young people are first in line for the jobs being created here and move closer to making NEET Zero a reality.”