Agenda item

This report asks the Committee to consider the final report of the in-depth Task Group review on Employment Opportunities for 18 – 25 Year Olds (including apprenticeships).

Discussion:

The Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration introduced the report from the in-depth Task Group review on Employment Opportunities for 18-25 Year Olds (including apprenticeships).

As this was a cross-cutting Task Group, a copy of the report had been considered by the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 11 January 2018 and an extract from the minutes of that meeting had been circulated prior to the meeting of this Committee.

The Committee thanked both Councillors Josie Iles and Gilry who had taken part in the Task Group as representatives from the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and expressed their appreciation to all the witnesses who had given evidence.

The Committee was advised that the Task Group had agreed four lines of enquiry as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report.

The Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration advised the Committee that a Skills Board, chaired by the Chief Executive had been established and had reviewed the recommendations of the Task Group. The Skills Board would be providing a comprehensive, joined up approach to driving up the skills of communities in Medway and, by doing so, support the area’s economic growth and physical regeneration. The Medway Skills Board would also be working closely with key businesses, in addition to schools, academies, colleges and universities.

The Committee commended the Task Group on the production of a comprehensive report and raised a number of points and questions including:

·         Careers advice and financial support for apprentices – A Member referred to the comments of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 11 January 2018 concerning the quality of careers advice given to young people and the need to examine the financial support given to young apprentices. She suggested that careers advice should be inclusive and not solely aimed at following an academic path and that increased financial support should be made available for young people to attend interviews.

In addition, she drew attention to the need to reassure parents of young people with SEND (special educational needs and disability) as to the opportunities available for their children.

Another Member suggested that careers advice should be provided independently, as some schools/academies may wish to retain pupils rather than recommend that they progress onto college. Therefore, the involvement of an independent source of careers advice would be beneficial.

The Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration reassured the Committee that the Medway Skills Board would be giving consideration to the issue of careers advice. He also referred to the National Careers Strategy which, not only enabled provision for Enterprise Advisors, but also ensured that young people could have up to seven encounters within a business environment to enable them to experience different types of work by 2020. 

·         The level of NEETS in Medway – A Member referred to the fact that 40% of NEETS were concentrated in 4 Wards across Medway and asked whether the Medway Skills Board would be taking any action to identify where NEETS were located and whether there were any particular reasons why there were high concentrations of NEETS in these particular areas. He also asked whether there was any action that the Council could take to help these individuals.

The Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration confirmed that this would form part of the work of the Medway Skills Board.

·         Retention of young skilled workers in Medway – A Member drew attention to the need for the Medway Skills Board to identify ways in which young skilled workers could be encouraged to remain in Medway once they had obtained their qualifications or completed training. In addition, young people who had left Medway to study elsewhere should be encouraged to return to Medway to work after graduating.

The Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration advised upon funds available to provide apprentice opportunities.

·         Schools suitable for young people in wheelchairs – Referring to page 55 of the Task Group Report, a Member drew attention to the fact that Rivermead was not the only school in Medway with wheelchair access.

·         Lack of data for 18 – 25 year olds – A Member expressed concern as to the limited NEET data available for 18 – 25 year olds. He drew attention to information set out in paragraph 6.5.1 of the Task Group report and expressed concern that this data was limited to 16 and 17 year olds. Therefore this did not provide a true reflection of the total numbers of NEETS.

In response, it was reported that nationally, data for NEETS was only collected for 16 – 17 year olds.

The Director of Regeneration, Culture, Environment and Transformation and Deputy Chief Executive gave an assurance that the Medway Skills Board would be looking at NEETS more widely than just 16 and 17 year olds.

·         Employment opportunities within Medway – The Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration informed the Committee that the Medway Skills Board was also investigating the reskilling of the adult population of Medway and he reminded the Committee that the various regeneration projects within Medway and the surrounding areas would increase opportunities in the field of construction.

Decision:

The Committee:

a)            agreed that the report and recommendations made by the Employment Opportunities for 18 – 25 year olds (Including apprenticeships) Task Group be supported and recommended to Cabinet on 6 February 2018;

b)            noted that the Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration will provide the Member concerned with further information as to the geographical spread of 18 – 25 year old NEETS and more information as to the work that is being undertaken to address the situation for these individuals via the Officer Skills Board; and

c)            extended appreciation to Councillors Josie Iles and Gilry for their involvement in the Task Group on behalf of this Committee.