THE recession has been hard for young people searching for work, but thanks to �800,000 in funding from Hertfordshire Works, 365 new apprenticeships will be available to 16 to 19-year-olds in Hertfordshire over the next year. As a result of the funding, 1

THE recession has been hard for young people searching for work, but thanks to �800,000 in funding from Hertfordshire Works, 365 new apprenticeships will be available to 16 to 19-year-olds in Hertfordshire over the next year.

As a result of the funding, 150 apprenticeships are to be created in the private sector, with a further 150 in the public sector.

In addition, a further 65 special apprenticeships will be aimed at recruiting vulnerable young people, in particular those in care, those with learning difficulties and young people at risk of becoming involved in antisocial behaviour.

Hertfordshire Works is a branch of the county's Local Strategic Partnership (Hertfordshire Forward), which is responsible for supporting the county's economy.

It brings together all organisations in the county, from the county council to the chamber of commerce, who can offer economic advice and support. The �800,000 funding is part of �4 million the government gave the county for hitting its partnership targets.

Cllr David Lloyd, executive member for resources and economic well-being, said: "We want to do all we can to support young people during these difficult economic times. Despite the fact that the number of young people in Hertfordshire who are not in education or training is below the national average, it is still of concern to us that nearly 1,500 people aged 16 to 18 are unemployed and in some areas these figures are rising at a worrying rate.

"With theses figures increasing, both locally and nationally, there is clearly a growing need to help people in this age group into full-time employment.

"Apprenticeships have been very successful in the past and we're pleased to announce this additional funding to create more opportunities.

"The apprenticeships will cover an extensive range of jobs, including marketing, administration, finance, social care, health care, retail, engineering, IT and work with environmental organisations. By offering such a wide range we hope they will appeal to as many young people as possible."

The new apprenticeships will be promoted through existing schemes such as Youth Connexions and the National Apprenticeship Service. If you are interested in finding out more please contact Stuart Sapsford, Service Development Manager at Youth Connexions Hertfordshire on 01992 901540.

In addition, Hertfordshire County Council has signed up to the government's 'Backing Young Britain' scheme. The scheme invites public and private sector organisations to sign up to various pledges to demonstrate the work they are doing to help support young people into work.

The pledges include providing volunteer and work experience opportunities, along with internships and apprenticeships, and agreeing to work with local partners to increase opportunities for young people. Hertfordshire County Council meets the criteria in all areas so has signed up to all the pledges.