A CENTRE offering training, apprenticeships and work-experience to young Bradford jobseekers has reopened.

The Kick Start Training Centre in Bradford city centre now also offers a number of its courses and learning opportunities online as it supports young people into work.

It is also hoping to start offering work placements through its traineeship programme again soon, something that has been hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Run by Qube Learning, the centre is also hoping that its traineeship programme will be a good solution for employers' post pandemic.

Catherine Ackrill, pre-employment manager at the Kick Start centre said they had recently experienced a surge in interest in their traineeships for 16 to 24 year olds.

She explained that the programme offers tailored training followed by a work taster with a suitable local employer - and hopefully a route into paid employment at the end of it.

"It could well be somebody has been looking for work and has applied for jobs, but their CV is not up to scratch, they haven't got work experience and are getting overlooked, or are not prepared for an interview.

"The traineeship is great for people that perhaps haven't got a career path in mind as yet. The work taster, for example, can enable them to find out whether that type of work is for them."

She added that some of the influx in referrals was down to college courses finishing in the light of coronavirus, and perhaps some students losing enthusiasm for their course.

They had begun using an online learning platform for the traineeships too, so students could begin this at home already.

CEO of the leading national training provider, Joe Crossley said that many education and training provides have changed the way they work to adapt to the current challenges in the light of the pandemic.

He said: "As an organisation with a wide network, we are reviewing our strategy daily and looking at what life might look like post pandemic for us and our employers, and all those on training programmes and how we can make a difference to the mounting unemployment statistics. And more than ever, we are looking at what responsibility traineeships will play in helping boost training and employer functionality post COVID-19 and assist economy growth at what will be an imperative time.

"The traineeship programme is going to be a cost-effective solution for employers’ post pandemic, and it is also a great programme for supporting people into work.

"As a full-time or part-time employment-based training arrangement, many of our trainee students are now completing aspects of their programmes at home with some continuing at work whilst social distancing is safely in place. However, with unemployment at such a high we are speaking to many more out of work individuals looking for new ways to train so they can find a resourceful way back into work with a strong skillset as quickly possible."

In addition to traineeships, the centre offers apprenticeships and a work-fit programme for for over 19s who are currently unemployed. This includes training courses and workshops to help prepare someone to start or return to the world of work.