Kickstart Scheme - Employer Obligations
Discussion
Within the small company that I work for we have had 2 or 3 Kick-start employee's 'working' for us across 2 departments, Engineering (design) and accounts.
When a company takes on one of these Kick-start employee's, do they have any obligations towards them with regard to training and workload?
The 1 girl in accounts left after a couple of weeks as she was given no work to do other than washing dishes, empty the bins and order milk.
The 1st lad in engineering saw his 6 months out and was kept reasonably involved only because one of the apprentices took him under his wing and gave him a bit of guidance.
He left after 6 months as the experience had put him off engineering.
We now have another Kick-start lad in the office and he's been here 2 or 3 months maybe? I found out yesterday that this poor lad has been coming in to the office for 4 days a week for the past few months and all he has been given to do is watch YouTube videos about how to use inventor.
Surely employers can't just take these people on and leave them in a corner of the office to stagnate can they? They must have some obligation towards them?
When a company takes on one of these Kick-start employee's, do they have any obligations towards them with regard to training and workload?
The 1 girl in accounts left after a couple of weeks as she was given no work to do other than washing dishes, empty the bins and order milk.
The 1st lad in engineering saw his 6 months out and was kept reasonably involved only because one of the apprentices took him under his wing and gave him a bit of guidance.
He left after 6 months as the experience had put him off engineering.
We now have another Kick-start lad in the office and he's been here 2 or 3 months maybe? I found out yesterday that this poor lad has been coming in to the office for 4 days a week for the past few months and all he has been given to do is watch YouTube videos about how to use inventor.
Surely employers can't just take these people on and leave them in a corner of the office to stagnate can they? They must have some obligation towards them?
Sadly, I think it's pretty common.
I have 3 nephews, all of which took kick-start jobs coming out of covid, having lost a regular apprenticeship when everything shutdown and the furlough schemes were looking likely to end.
All 3 are no longer in kick-start scheme's, as they got next to nothing to do, were learning nothing useful and in some cases the employer was literally taking the piss with them working <8 hours a week.
They are all now in proper jobs, 2 of which are great positions within manufacturing with good prospects and the youngest happy working at a supermarket while they work out what they want to do.
I have 3 nephews, all of which took kick-start jobs coming out of covid, having lost a regular apprenticeship when everything shutdown and the furlough schemes were looking likely to end.
All 3 are no longer in kick-start scheme's, as they got next to nothing to do, were learning nothing useful and in some cases the employer was literally taking the piss with them working <8 hours a week.
They are all now in proper jobs, 2 of which are great positions within manufacturing with good prospects and the youngest happy working at a supermarket while they work out what they want to do.
Kickstart has now ended, no more new opportunities. I worked with an agency for one, it didn't work out (no-one accepted position) but there were no guidelines on what we should do with them. Now I like to think I'm progressive so was developing a plan for them that benefits them and us, but it wasn't a requirement.
it isn't like an apprentice role that has to have an educational/development element. It is also minimum wage, unless you top it up.
Great idea, easily abused.
Some info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-the-kickstart-sche...
They do mention you should help them develop skills...
it isn't like an apprentice role that has to have an educational/development element. It is also minimum wage, unless you top it up.
Great idea, easily abused.
Some info here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-the-kickstart-sche...
They do mention you should help them develop skills...
Edited by ozzuk on Wednesday 25th May 15:00
My partner has taken on 3 of them since Covid, she had barely any guidance of what to do with them so it was all basically on her to utilise how she saw fit.
1 of them is absolutely outstanding, his CV was basically GCSE’s through A levels and a first v.ass degree all at A grade. He is probably an anomaly in applications for these kickstart schemes though. He’s now in a full time position and overtaking staff that have been doing the role for years. The sky will be the limit for him.
Another continued after the 6 months is up, he’s hitting his targets and learning but wants to move to a city so he’s staying until he finds other work .
The 3rd one is a bit strange actually in education and doing exams in the specific jib role but was awful in interview and doesn’t seem to know things he’s surely done in uni. Work ethic and attitude is a bit lacking too. It’s strange my partner had set up her business at his age (25) but he’s not really showing signs of wanting to impress somewhere there may be a job for him at the end and that he is aiming to have a degree in.
So I guess the scheme is what you make of it, she took the first 2 on as there was a chance of a job at the end of it for them. There may be a chance for the 3rd one but he’s have to show something in 3 months.
1 of them is absolutely outstanding, his CV was basically GCSE’s through A levels and a first v.ass degree all at A grade. He is probably an anomaly in applications for these kickstart schemes though. He’s now in a full time position and overtaking staff that have been doing the role for years. The sky will be the limit for him.
Another continued after the 6 months is up, he’s hitting his targets and learning but wants to move to a city so he’s staying until he finds other work .
The 3rd one is a bit strange actually in education and doing exams in the specific jib role but was awful in interview and doesn’t seem to know things he’s surely done in uni. Work ethic and attitude is a bit lacking too. It’s strange my partner had set up her business at his age (25) but he’s not really showing signs of wanting to impress somewhere there may be a job for him at the end and that he is aiming to have a degree in.
So I guess the scheme is what you make of it, she took the first 2 on as there was a chance of a job at the end of it for them. There may be a chance for the 3rd one but he’s have to show something in 3 months.
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