Seetec offers young people in Manchester employment opportunities

The UK’s long-term unemployment among the young has risen to over 40% since the pandemic began, with those under the age of 35 accounting for almost 80% of jobs lost in the past year.* While, according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there is a continued rise in long-term unemployment among the under-25s.**

Traineeships are proving vital in tackling this by helping young people to access employment and gain the skills needed to support the UK’s economic recovery.

Skills specialist Seetec Outsource, part of the employee-owned Seetec Group, is at the forefront of helping young people get a foothold on the employment ladder by offering traineeships in Business Administration for 16 to 24-year olds across the North West. 

Funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s Adult Education Budget, it offers six to 12-week programmes designed to give participants the key skills they will need to succeed in the workplace. Traineeships combine pre-employment training and a vocational qualification with a period of work experience and offer support towards functional skills qualifications in English and maths as well as essential digital skills where needed.

One young adult benefiting from such a programme is Jessica Riley from Trafford, Greater Manchester. She realised college wasn’t for her during the pandemic but has now reskilled, secured a job and a future career after completing a Seetec Outsource traineeship. 

Jessica started the programme after leaving college, where she was studying towards A-Levels at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Unable to find a job or apprenticeship during the lockdowns that followed, Jessica was keen to take control of her future and recognised that a traineeship would provide her with a valuable opportunity to gain skills and experience.

Due to ongoing lockdown restrictions, Jessica spent her first four weeks on programme completing remote learning assignments with the support of her tutor and attending virtual classes along with the other trainees in her group. 

She then spent three weeks with her work placement host company, an NHS Medical Centre in Sale, Greater Manchester. The company has been so pleased with Jessica’s progress that it has now asked her to stay on at the medical centre as an Apprentice Customer Service Practitioner at the end of her placement.

By working closely with local businesses, Seetec Outsource can provide blended classroom and online learning alongside valuable work experience with a host company, offering real life preparation and guidance. 

The programme is designed to help young people across the North West find employment in an industry where they can progress. 

With young workers in the North West being four times more likely to work in sectors where jobs are most at risk, the traineeships are more vital than ever in being a key stepping stone for young people trying to find employment in secure sectors.***

Traineeships offer a starting point for anyone who is not currently in education or employment, or who has little or no work experience and does not hold a qualification higher than a level 3.

Andi McGregor Operations Director at Seetec Outsource Education and Skills, explains why traineeships are such an important steppingstone for young people:

“Rising unemployment in the wake of Covid-19 means competition for jobs is fierce. Without relevant work experience a lot of young people are struggling to get noticed by employers, and many don’t even know where to start with their job search.

“Jessica’s experience shows that traineeships really can open doors to a brighter future. They prepare young people for the workplace and give them access to jobs or apprenticeships in their chosen field, while employers benefit from a chance to recruit motivated new employees who can grow with their business.”