National rail contractor, QTS Group, has signed up to the Kickstart Scheme to help tackle unemployment in young people and showcase the rail industry as a positive career pathway.
This Government-led initiative provides funding which gives businesses the opportunity to provide work experience and enhance employability skills for young people. It is designed for 16 to 24-year-olds, who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment, to help improve their employment prospects.
QTS Group has successfully secured 20 part-time placements on the scheme, which covers employee wages for a 25-hour working week. Moreover, the company has decided to make all the placements full-time and will cover the remaining costs.
A mix of operational and support roles have been made available at the firm’s offices nationwide to help attract applicants from different backgrounds with varied skillsets and interests.
Placements are currently being recruited for across the UK, with several roles available now at QTS Group’s Drumclog office in South Lanarkshire, including a vegetation management operative, a railway civils and geotechnical operative, two administration assistants and a procurement assistant.
The rail specialist’s application to the Kickstart Scheme is part of wider company plans to plug the skills and labour gap in the rail industry and encourage more young people to begin their career with QTS Group.
The firm is also hoping to retain staff that make a positive impact on the business during their six-months on the scheme, meaning permanent job opportunities will be made available in 2022.
Lorna Gibson, Training Director at QTS Group said: “We submitted our application for the Kickstart Programme, with the help of NSAR, in the hope that we could recruit new and lasting talent, who will help to breathe new life into the industry with their enthusiasm and youthful energy. Through this scheme, we’ll be able to offer a thorough learning and development programme that truly delivers for its applicants.
“We’re also committed to delivering genuine social values in the area we operate in and believe job creation is a strong part of this. We’re confident the placements we offer over the next six months will help young people discover that the rail industry is an exciting and progressive industry with many fantastic career opportunities.”
