Welsh grads to benefit from new £7m EU-backed scheme

Over 2,000 students in Wales are set to benefit from a new work-placement scheme that is aiming to improve the job prospects of grads from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The GO Wales: Achieve through Work Experience programme will provide opportunities across key sectors including advanced manufacturing, financial and professional services, life sciences, ICT, tourism, and food & drink. A total of £7.3m in funding will be provided, including £4.7m of EU funds, with the three-year scheme targeted specifically at grads with disabilities or caring responsibilities, and from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

“Access to EU funds is helping us invest in fantastic opportunities for young people to improve their prospects, and this scheme is an excellent example,” said Welsh Assembly Minister for Skills and Science, Julie James.

“Over 2,000 talented young people in Wales will benefit from opportunities to spend time with employers, strengthen their CVs, and take the first steps in their future careers. This is yet another example of why it is so important we get a guarantee from the UK Government that every penny of EU funding to Wales is safe as a result of the impending exit from the EU.”

Dr David Blaney, from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), also commented: “Thanks to EU funding we have been able to develop Achieve through Work Experience, an exciting new scheme under the umbrella of GO Wales. We can make sure that work experience is targeted at students who need it most and find it most difficult to secure.”