Develop | Lowmac’s Kickstarter’s Stories A constant theme of 2021 has been the call from UK industry identifying skill shortages in the labour market. Not all job roles however require entry level skills, some simply need a candidate to follow instructions and adhere to safe working practices, such is the case in the waste and recycling industry where non-skilled entry level roles are available.
Although non-skilled, these roles require employers to give people an opportunity and for young people this requires an investment in training, mentoring and supervision. This is where the Government Kickstart scheme comes in; the Kickstart scheme aims to help young people aged between 16 and 24 into the workplace after long periods of unemployment. Employers supported by the scheme invest in workplace training, safety training and equipment. This along with ongoing supervision allows them to focus on identifying and developing young talent over the 6-month period of the placement. Here at Lowmac Waste & Recycling, we are proud to be part of the Kickstart Initiative, working with our Gateway partner North Ayrshire Council to support our local community.
To date Lowmac have offered 35 placements and our experience has been largely a positive one. Those we’ve brought on board have been keen to learn and willing to prove themselves. Waste and Recycling allows a broad range of roles and learning in a vital sector. The work is hard and challenging but those Kick-starters that have remained with Lowmac after their placement ended are carving out careers in driving HGV vehicles, operating large mobile plant, social media, communication, and digital marketing but most importantly for our industry sector, waste management.
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