Insider Media Limited

Hundreds of Black Country "neets" may soon be turned into long-term apprentices through a multimillion-pound scheme.

Walsall Council has launched Walsall Works, a project to get about 740 young neets - not in education, employment or training – into full-time apprenticeships and training.

During a special Insider Black Country Economic Forum Tim Johnson, executive director of regeneration at Walsall Council, told more than 100 business leaders that the scheme would mean up to £3,000 being offered to Black Country businesses to recruit a young person as an apprentice.

"We're adding £2m to existing apprenticeship programmes over the next two years," he told the forum at Walsall FC's Banks's Stadium. "It's a financial incentive for employers to assist young people to get into work. It’s not us duplicating what colleges offer, but us working with them to reduce the chronic levels of youth unemployment we have across the Black Country."

Walsall Works is aimed at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in growth sectors from niche engineering and environmental technologies to digital and health care.

Employers will get up to £3,000 to take a young person on as a full-time apprentice for at least 12 months. In return they will have to pay £3 per hour for 16 to 17-year-olds and at least the national minimum wage for 18 to 24-year-olds. They will also commit to employing the apprentice for the full duration of an apprenticeship leading to a nationally-recognised qualification.

As well as 550 apprenticeship Walsall Works is also offering 190 young people, who do not meet the entry requirements of a full apprenticeship, access to an incentive-based pre-apprenticeship course.

A full report on the Black Country Economic Forum will be in the next issue of Insider.