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Prince's Trust applauds graduate placement incentive idea

Published: Friday, 20 August 2010   Category: Work Experience

Giving companies financial incentives to recruit disadvantaged youngsters on graduate schemes would provide the UK economy with a much-needed boost, it has been suggested.

Earlier this week, thinktank Demos claimed that firms should be rewarded with between £1,000 and £5,000 for every individual who secures a full-time role within a year of completing a placement.

Ginny Lunn, director of policy and development at the Prince's Trust, welcomed the idea, claimed that it would "open doors for young people which would otherwise remain closed".

"Giving disadvantaged young people the opportunity to experience work is not only a huge benefit to the young person but also to the economy," she said.

"Internships help to stop unemployed young people from becoming unemployable - building their skills and knowledge so that they can give back to the economy in the future."

Ms Lunn's comments also follow the release of new Department for Education statistics which suggest that 16.3 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds were classed as not in employment, education and training in the second quarter of 2010.

This represents a small improvement from the equivalent period in 2009, when the figure reached 17.6 per cent.

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