NatWest has announced a new scheme to help young adults in Greater Manchester find work or training, with the aim of supporting up to 10,000 young people.
Launch in Greater Manchester
The NatWest Group said it will launch a youth offer in January, starting in Greater Manchester, before later rolling it out in the East Midlands. From there, the offer will be extended across the UK.
NatWest said help will be offered at different stages, bringing together financial and skills education, work experience, early careers and entrepreneurship support. The plan is to help young people build connections with employers and entrepreneurs in their own communities.
Support and rollout
NatWest Group chief executive Paul Thwaite said: "Opportunities shouldn’t depend on where you live, and that’s why we want to use our national presence along with our longstanding business relationships to make it easier for young people to see and access more opportunities closer to home."
He added: "Through our new youth offer, we want to work with partners across the UK to help young people build the skills, experience and connections they need to take their first step into the world of work."
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: "By providing support to budding entrepreneurs, this will give young people the confidence and connections to take their first step into work and to build a lasting career."
Asda's similar programme
The announcement follows Asda revealing a new programme to help young people across Greater Manchester into work. Asda said it will offer apprenticeships to 16 young adults as part of a new recruitment programme, with two Greater Manchester stores taking part in the 'Asda Roots' scheme.
