Severn Trent promises 400 roles for young people

A water firm has pledged to create 400 opportunities for young people over the next three years, as part of the government's Youth Guarantee scheme.

The positions will include a mixture of traditional apprenticeships, but also six-month-long paid work placements and some training places, Coventry-based Severn Trent Water said.

Baroness Jacqui Smith, minister for skills, has been visiting the water company's academy as part of the announcement.

"Bringing together the young people that need that start in life with Severn Trent and their need for skilled labour is really a win-win," she said.

Severn Trent's commitment comes as it tries to tackle the serious skills shortage facing the water sector, with 35% of skilled jobs currently going unfilled.

HR Director Neil Morrison, said: "We've got a £15 billion investment programme over the next five years and with that comes jobs, so we know we need to employ people and what better than connecting those jobs with people in our communities who really need them."

The government's Youth Guarantee pays companies to take on young people seeking work.

The firm receives a £3,000 grant for every person they take on, aged 18 to 24, who is on benefits and has been looking for a job for six months or more.

It comes as ministers grapple with an unemployment crisis among young people, with over 950,000 16 to 24 year-olds not in education, employment or training - around one in eight people in that age group.

Baroness Smith said: "We've got too many young people who are neither earning nor learning, and at the same time we've got the need for skills in really vital industries like Severn Trent.

"We can't solve either the problem of youth unemployment or the issue of skills shortages for really critical industries like this unless we work together."

Morrison said the government support helped the company focus on reaching the young people who need the most help.

"Having the youth guarantee and the government support and working with the Jobcentre Plus is really important to reach the people that need the help the most," he said.

A total of 25 of the opportunities each year will be ringfenced for people who were in care during their childhood, the water firm has said.

Daniel Jackson was taken on as water network technician after completing his apprenticeship 18 months ago.

"I loved learning hands on, it's great to learn while you earn as well, it's been really good for me," he said.

"It's a brilliant opportunity for any age as well... the apprenticeship is for everyone, and it gets them a really good experience and then you get into a really good job about the end of it."

Other major employers supporting the Youth Guarantee include the Premier League, Channel 4, Royal Shakespeare Company and Pinewood Studios.

The programme has being backed by a £2.5bn in government investment.