YOUNG people taking their first steps into work are being given a helping hand by government experts.

Bosses at Jobcentre Plus in Edward Street, Brighton, have created a “youth hub” to offer targeted support to school leavers – including CV makeovers, job-hunt advice and interview tips.

With GCSE and A-level results fast approaching, students are being encouraged to think about how their first experiences in the world of work could lead to even the unlikeliest of career paths.

Youth unemployment is now 127,000 lower than it was in 2010 and across the country last summer around 100,000 more people started a new job compared to earlier on in the year – including young people for the first time after leaving education.

Rules on work experience have changed, meaning young people aged 18 to 24 on Jobseeker’s Allowance can now do up to two months’ work experience without it affecting their benefits.

Simon McNiff, of Brighton Jobcentre Plus, said: “Entering the world of work can be daunting for some people, which is why we want to make sure young people in Brighton have the skills and experience they need to get off benefits and into a job. “Young people often tell us they can’t get a job without work experience and they can’t get work experience without a job.

“That is why we introduced our work experience scheme to give people a taste of the world of work which could open the door to other jobs.”

The country has seen the number of available apprenticeships increase and, through sector based work academies, young people can get sector-specific training along with work experience placements and a guaranteed job interview at Jobcentre Plus branches.

 

Top five tips for jobseekers:

1- Give your CV a makeover: Keep it short - a maximum of two sides of A4 is enough. Try to tailor it to the job.
2- Go online: Create a profile on Universal Jobmatch to get jobs automatically matched to your CV, register for job alerts and update online profiles.
3- Networking works: Link up with employers you like on Twitter and LinkedIn
4- Be prepared: Practice answers to tricky interview questions to make sure that you are always prepared.
5- Try work experience: You’ll get to see what a job is like and show an employer what you’re made of.