Sector to benefit from support for young workers

Details of new paid opportunities for young people to gain training, skills and experience in the cultural sector have been released by Creative & Cultural Skills at the launch of the Creative Employment Programme (CEP) by Skills Minister Matthew Hancock MP. The £15m Lottery-funded programme aims to help young unemployed people aged 16-24, both graduates and non-graduates, enter the arts and cultural workforce in both technical and administrative roles. 2,000 paid internships will offer wage funding of up to £2,500 per intern for a minimum of 6 months for 30 hours per week; 1,600 traineeships will target 16-18 year-olds who are not in employment, education or training, and will be underpinned by the Arts Award and delivered in partnership with Further Education colleges; and 2,900 apprenticeships will be supported with wage funding of £1,500 to £2,000 per apprentice, for a minimum employment term of 12 months. Apprenticeships will be managed by arts and cultural organisations and run in partnership with Further Education colleges. The overriding purpose of the programme is to change the recruitment culture in the sector by helping to diversify the workforce and provide fair access and progression routes. Consortia and individual organisations, including sole traders and will be eligible for involvement.
http://www.creative-employment.co.uk