City Gateway, a Tower Hamlets charity working with disengaged and low-skilled young people which celebrated it’s 10th Anniversary earlier this month, has this week launched the first of a range of new partnerships aimed at having an even bigger impact on the area in the next 10 years.

The charity’s work has already seen NEET (not in education, employment or training) young people figures for the Borough fall from a shocking 15% down to 6.7%. By working closely with City firms the charity aims to bring their skills and resources to bare on the local community.

The partnership with HSS Hire, the national tool and hire company, combine’s City Gateway’s youth work experience with HSS specialist expertise which sees them deliver thousands of industry training programmes every year across its UK-wide network. HSS is providing free training & work placements for the young people, as well as help refurbishing City Gateway’s centres.

The Customer Services focussed training they deliver begins with a 10-week Export course specifically designed to prepare and equip the young people to begin placements in one of the hire company’s 43 London branches as part of a subsequent apprenticeship scheme. In 2008 170 young people took one of City Gateway’s Export courses in either IT, Media or Sport and with the introduction of the Customer Services stream over 200 young people should receive the free training in 2009.

City Gateway will be offering 100 free LSC apprenticeship placements (in City firms such as Denton Wilde Sapte and Allen & Overy, as well as gyms such as The Reebok Gym, Canary Wharf) to young people in 2009.

Whilst Alan Sugar’s current TV adverts have put apprenticeships into the news this week, the course launched today is looking much further into the future.

“This is about providing real jobs for local people,” said Chris Davies, CEO of HSS. “The skills they learn will help equip them for the world of work and, if they do well during the placement, they have every chance of being offered a job and a place on a modern apprenticeship scheme. We’re hoping this will provide us with our London based branch managers, fitters, drivers, hire consultants and sales people of the future”.

Eddie Stride, CEO of City Gateway added: “Many of the young people we work with are very capable but, for whatever reason, just didn’t succeed at school. Apprentices give them a second chance, an opportunity to take part in work based learning they can relate to. We’ve seen young people completely transformed already and progress onto a wide range of jobs across London. Our biggest need at the moment is for companies to offer placement opportunities to young people, benefiting not only the apprentices who get the experience but also bringing extra resources in to the company itself.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

City Gateway looks to connect with local women & disadvantaged young people, and runs programmes which engage them, train them and provide them with the skills and opportunities they need to enter the workplace. It run a women's project, a youth centre, a youth training facility and a social enterprise hub - offering disadvantaged individuals everything from community events & drop-in youth clubs through to apprenticeship schemes and the chance to develop their own business ideas.
jerry@citygateway.org.uk
07905 608 721
www.citygateway.org.uk

HSS Hire Service Group is a UK-based tool and equipment hire chain. Operating under the banner of HSS Hire, the group has an established nationwide network of over 250 locations including a number of supercentres with extended opening hours. Established in 1957, the company now has a 2,300 strong workforce and a fleet of over 800 vehicles.
HSS Hire runs a dedicated training company and holds a 4 star British Safety Award.
www.hss.com