Willmott Dixon Partnerships has launched a scheme to offer youngsters vocational training across the country.
Willmott Dixon Partnerships, the maintenance specialist of Willmott Dixon Group, has introduced measures aimed at tackling the issue of youth unemployment in the towns and cities where it has contracts, such as Birmingham, London and Scarborough.

The company has responded to a record youth unemployment rate, which has now topped 900,000, by incentivising the job training for school leavers.

The workforce at Willmott Dixon currently comprises 9 per cent of young people aged 16 to 24 who are employed in a variety of roles, with 46 apprentices and trainees working throughout the business.

Willmott Dixon does not impose a minimum number of qualifications which potential applicants need to hold for opportunities for work advertised through its Opening Doors scheme. This initiative comprises The Work Experience programme, The Building Maintenance Skills programme, and The Willmott Dixon Partnerships Apprentice programme.

The Government's new Higher Apprenticeships Fund will see £25 million support up to 10,000 apprenticeships across the UK and local authorities have pledged funding for new schemes to boost the number of jobs and training opportunities.

Some private sector companies have also invested their own money to introduce schemes to reduce barriers and help boost the number of employment and training opportunities that they provide for jobseekers.

Willmott Dixon's aim is to attract under-represented groups into the construction and maintenance industries, particularly women, ethnic minorities, disabled persons and vulnerable people who are unemployed or affected by redundancy or business closures in their local area, and works in partnership with schools, college and employment organisations.

Willmott Dixon Partnerships managing director, Mick Williamson, says: 'We are keen to ensure that we look within the communities we serve to identify male and female apprentices and help to give them the best possible start in life, whilst ensuring that there is no lack of skilled tradespeople in future years. The Opening Doors programme was launched last year to meet the growing demand for work experience placements from local students and jobseekers, and help remove some of the barriers to a route into the construction industry.'