- New funding of £600,000 from The Rigby Foundation supports 300 tech careers in the West Midlands
- Generation UK charity administers the funding to address youth unemployment in key sectors like tech
- SCC, a tech services provider, will support the program with staff volunteering and equipment
- The Rigby Foundation aims to promote social mobility in the region through charitable work
- Partnership with Generation UK to provide high-demand skills to young people in the West Midlands
Supporting 300 Tech Careers in the West Midlands
The latest initiative to support young people into tech careers in the West Midlands has received a significant boost with new funding worth £600,000. The Rigby Foundation, the charitable arm of the West Midlands-based Rigby family, has joined forces with skills charity Generation UK to facilitate this endeavor. The primary goal is to assist at least 300 young individuals in transitioning into tech-related professions within the region.
Challenges of Youth Unemployment in the West Midlands
Youth unemployment poses a significant challenge in the West Midlands, with statistics showing that areas like Walsall, Wolverhampton, and Birmingham have double the national average of unemployed youth. The region currently has over 130,000 unemployed individuals, of which nearly 21,000 fall within the 16 to 24 age bracket. Recognizing this issue, The Rigby Foundation and Generation UK have come together to address the pressing need for creating sustainable job opportunities for young people.
Partnership between The Rigby Foundation and Generation UK
The collaboration between The Rigby Foundation and Generation UK marks a crucial step towards bridging the gap between youth unemployment and the burgeoning tech industry. Generation UK, a Surrey-based charity renowned for its work with the Department for Education on the Skills Bootcamp programme, will be instrumental in implementing the new initiative. The charity specializes in delivering skills bootcamps in various tech fields such as data engineering, cyber security, cloud engineering, and IT support. By working closely with employers, Generation UK aims to facilitate the seamless placement of candidates into relevant job roles.
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The Impact of the Funding on Tech Careers
The generous donation of £600,000 by The Rigby Foundation will have a transformative impact on the tech landscape of the West Midlands over the next three years. The funding will enable Generation UK to expand its operations in the region, offering young adults the opportunity to secure well-paid and skilled professions in high-demand sectors like technology and green retrofit. Additionally, SCC, a prominent IT services provider owned by the Rigby family, will extend its support to the program by engaging staff as volunteers, providing necessary equipment, and organizing mentoring and skills events for the participants.
The new funding initiative spearheaded by The Rigby Foundation and Generation UK represents a significant milestone in the efforts to address youth unemployment and bolster tech careers in the West Midlands. By investing in the education and skills development of young individuals, the initiative aims to create a more inclusive and prosperous future for the region’s youth.
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