British Gas is offering 1,000 unemployed youngsters a chance to train for skilled ‘green’ roles at the company over the next three years.
The energy giant has joined forces with Accenture and environmental charity Global Action Plan to offer free sustainability training to 1,400 17 to 25 year olds not currently in education, training or employment. Every individual who reaches the end of the Transform scheme earns a BTEC qualification and is guaranteed an interview with British Gas.
Transform is a response to the continuing youth employment crisis, with almost one million 16 to 24-year-olds out of education, employment or training.
The 1,000 new recruits will join the energy giant’s ECO (Energy Company Obligation) programme, which forces energy suppliers to help some of the UK’s poorest households pull themselves out of fuel poverty.
“Big British companies have a responsibility to make a positive contribution which is why we are taking action to create skilled green jobs in areas of low employment,” said Claire Williams, managing director of British Gas New Energy.
“This training will make a difference to unemployed young people who will get skills and job as well as hard-pressed households who will benefit from energy efficiency measures.”
Global Action Plan’s role is to target young unemployed people within the local community and deliver the training. A successful pilot in Walsall and Glasgow in November and December 2012 lead to 17 graduates of the scheme joining British Gas as tenant and community engagement officers.
