What is the new Kickstarter scheme and how can Yorkshire businesses benefit?
Diane Hall
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Rishi Sunak’s new scheme aims to give out of work 18-24 year olds valuable workplace-based experience and on-the-job training, in the hope that this will lead to permanent roles for them. There is also hope that the scheme will give a much-needed boost to the economy at the same time.
The plan is to give 250,000 young people, who must be in receipt of Universal Credit, tangible experience and new skills that they wouldn’t necessarily receive otherwise. Training is key; though the practical experience they will receive from their employer will be industry-specific, their training will focus on securing a permanent job role, i.e. C.V. writing and job-interview coaching.
Any business can apply directly for the Kickstarter grant; however, the stipulation is that you must take on 30 of these youngsters straightaway. Most small and medium-sized businesses are unable to take on so many new starters at once, for both financial and practical reasons. The good news, however, is that businesses can come together as a consortium and apply for 30 trainees to share between them. Within the consortium, each individual business only recruits the number of people they need; once the overall number reaches 30, the consortium can make its application to the scheme.
Novus Marketing Solutions has created a consortium and will apply for the grant on behalf of other businesses collaborating with them on this project. They will help the businesses within the consortium complete the necessary paperwork; Novus will also provide the training element that is a requirement of the scheme. The cost of this training will be funded through the scheme itself; therefore, every new employee you bring into your business as part of this initiative will cost you very little for the six months you will have them.
What you would need to provide your new employee(s)
As well as on-the-job experience, you will be required to provide training related to job interviews, C.V. writing, and any other relative support, which ensures the young trainees get the most out of their six months with you. As mentioned, however, relating to the Novus consortium, this is one element they will happily undertake, which will free up your time and allow you to solely concentrate on the practical/industry experience you will be giving your new employee(s).
As well as support to secure future roles, each trainee will also naturally develop, through the training, soft skills such as:
Teamworking
Organisational efficiency
Effective communication
The scheme will award your business £1500 for each new employee you bring on board. Only a portion of this will come to Novus to cover the job-training element, and to ensure that the consortium meets the criteria set by the government; the rest will come to you. As managers of the consortium, Novus will act as your representative - any questions they can’t answer they will move further up the ladder until it’s explained. This is a brand-new scheme and it’s understandable that some things may yet be unknown.
Your employees’ wages
The government will pay your new employees’ wages. These payments will be made in two instalments: on month four and seven. You will therefore need enough cash in reserve to cover their first three wages before you receive this money back. The scheme requires the new employee to work 25 hours a week at minimum wage. As an example, if you recruit an 18-20-year-old, their monthly wage would be £698.75, based on £6.45 per hour. For this particular employee, you would therefore need to pay wages of £2,096.25 before you receive the first instalment from the government.
Optional marketing training
As an award-winning marketing agency, Novus Marketing Solutions has shown hundreds of businesses how to effectively promote themselves. You can enrol your new employee(s) onto Novus’s brand-new marketing training course, which they have designed to complement the scheme and the kinds of tasks your trainee will be carrying out. For the six months they are with you, if they were to enrol on Novus’s course, they could simultaneously develop and promote your business for very little cost.
The training will cover:
Video creation
Content creation
Social media marketing
Social media advertising
Email marketing
Due to the uncertainty around coronavirus and limitations concerning face-to-face meetings Novus will provide training via Zoom. They will also grant access to online videos and help guides, and your employee will receive homework to complete. Whilst it will be your responsibility to ensure your employee(s) attend the training sessions and completes their homework, Novus will supply them with all the tools they need to facilitate their learning.
Where do I find the new employee?
As a member of Novus’s consortium, they will show you how to advertise your job roles through social media and in jobcentres. Remember that your new employee must be in receipt of Universal Credit; therefore, the jobcentre will be one of the best places to start. Allowing for the time it will take for the recruitment process, your first employee(s) could start as soon as November 2020. This is, however, completely dependent on everyone in the consortium providing everything they need on time.
Novus predicts that this scheme will be popular, so act now. Businesses are keen to expand their workforce and take advantage of new opportunities; however, understandably, it’s a risk with the challenges we’re currently facing. This scheme reduces the risk and makes it possible for small and large businesses to gather the support extra pairs of hands will bring, whilst also providing vital experience to youngsters out of work.
Contact Novus on 07983 575934 if you’re interested in becoming a member of their consortium.
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