Young unemployed people living in and around a Suffolk town are being given a chance to gain skills needed to work in the food, farming and grocery industry.
A Woodbridge firm has joined the national Feeding Britain’s Future scheme, which aims to tackle youth unemployment by providing free training.
After two successful years, the industry is again calling on businesses across Suffolk to sign up - like PR and marketing agency Kendalls.
Recent research by the Institute of Grocery Distribution, which runs Feeding Britain’s Future, revealed that unemployed people are finding it harder than ever to find work.
Since 2012, more than 200 UK companies have offered 25,000 training opportunities, with 97% of participants saying they felt more confident about applying for a job after attending a workshop.
In September, Kendalls will offer young unemployed people from Woodbridge the chance to learn about a career in public relations, advertising, marketing and design - with particular focus on roles within the food and farming industry.
Members of the Kendalls team will also help them develop employability skills and improve their chances of getting a job through workshops on CV writing and how to perform well at a job interview.
Andrew Kendall, managing director, said: “The food, farming and grocery industry is the UK’s biggest private sector employer, providing 3.7million jobs, and there’s a huge range of careers on offer.
“While farming and the food chain are not always top of the list when you ask young people what they want to do when they grow up, the industry is full of varied and exciting opportunities.
“By participating in Feeding Britain’s Future we hope to share some tips on general interview skills and writing your CV, as well as open the eyes of some young people in Woodbridge to our sector.”
Feeding Britain’s Future is open to all businesses connected with the food and grocery industry. To register, go to igd.com/FeedingBritainsFuture
Unemployed people wishing to take part should speak to their Job Centre Plus adviser in August.
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