Drop-outs to be paid to go to college
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.TEENAGE DROP-OUTS are to be paid to go back into education under a Government scheme to be announced this week.
David Blunkett, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, is to announce a pilot programme for 16 and 17-year-olds who have left school and have no jobs. They will be given a Government allowance if they decide to go back to college to gain GCSEs or another equivalent qualification.
The move is part of a new Government initiative targeting the 100,000 16 or 17-year-olds who are unemployed or in dead-end jobs. Because of changes made by the former Conservative government, young people in this age group do not qualify for Income Support.
In a speech to the Confederation of British Industry on Tuesday, the Education Secretary also will announce the creation of a National Traineeship Scheme to replace the Conservatives' Youth Training Scheme. The system of apprenticeships will offer employers financial incentives to train young people on the job.
Labour is keen to avoid comparisons with the last government's programme which was criticised for using young people as cheap labour with no prospects at the end of their traineeship. The Labour scheme will offer "paper" qualifications at the end of the programme.
Youth campaigners are likely to insist that the new qualifications have a value that will improve young people's career prospects. They will be critical if the traineeships do not offer rewarding employment which can lead to the advancement of young people.
"There will be a gateway approach, a targeted approach," an aide to the Education Secretary said. "These are young people who don't get benefits, who are not in education and training. The overall programme is to help achieve national targets to help young people into training and work."
At the moment the parents of 16 or 17-year-olds at college qualify for extra benefits if they are on Income Support. But in the pilot scheme the Government intends to reroute benefits to the students themselves to give them greater independence and an incentive to study.
The Government is concerned that many young people have opted for dead- end jobs with no prospects for the future, such as road sweeping or waitressing in a greasy-spoon cafe. It intends to introduce measures to allow youths to retrain and will take steps to allow young people to take off one day a week to attend a further education college to acquire more skills.
The Government is to target companies without in-built training programmes. It will place notices in JobCentres and launch a national advertising campaign.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments