Hundreds of youngsters in the London borough of Wandsworth in the UK are set to see an increase in their employment prospects after a council offered funding to give jobs a boost in the area.

Wandsworth Council led a bid, alongside five other councils, to get funding from the Skills Funding Agency's European Social Fund, and will now be able to offer funding to the tune of £1.25 million for apprenticeships for people living in the area.

It is expected that, over the coming years, a minimum of 716 young people will be able to benefit from new job opportunities under the scheme.

Kathy Tracy from the council said: "Our officers are working hard to encourage other employers in the area to follow our lead and to reap the benefits of what the apprenticeship programmes have to offer."

Last month, money was pledged to a new scheme in Scotland to attempt to entice companies to hire and train youngsters, with monetary grants as a bonus.

Posted by Alex Donnell