Jobs Growth Wales: September 2015 to 10 March 2019

Jobs Growth Wales is a programme designed to help unemployed 16-24 year olds living in Wales into employment for six months in a job paying at least the National Minimum Wage. The first Jobs Growth Wales scheme started in April 2012 and ended in April 2015. The second scheme started in September 2015.

As a result of initial evaluation findings of Jobs Growth Wales 1, a number of changes were made to the programme to strengthen those areas which were most effective and remove any areas that did not perform so well. Whilst the resultant Jobs Growth Wales 2 programme is smaller than the original programme, its targeted support aims to be more effective at helping young people return to work.

The data tables presented for the first scheme are unchanged since December 2015.

Jobs Growth Wales 2

The Jobs Growth Wales 2 programme was announced on 13 May 2015. The first jobs were advertised in mid-June 2015 and delivery commenced in September 2015.

Since the introduction of the Jobs Growth Wales 2 scheme until 10 March 2019:

• the number of job opportunities created and approved(1) was 6,855
• the number of job opportunities filled was 3,791
• the total number of applications received was 50,053, whilst the number of applicants was 17,539.

The destination data show that:

• 2,470 participants completed a six month opportunity, of which 2,113 were in employment, self-employment, an apprenticeship or further learning
• 657 participants left the scheme early, of which 218 were in employment, self-employment, an apprenticeship or further learning.

Jobs Growth Wales 1

The first Jobs Growth Wales scheme ran from April 2012 to April 2015.

As of the end of April 2015:

• the number of job opportunities created and approved(2) was 17,195
• the number of job opportunities filled was 14,989
• the total number of applications received was 268,467, whilst the number of applicants was 48,916.

The destination data(3) shows that since the scheme started until 10 September(4):

• 12,113 participants had completed a 6 month opportunity
• 3,537 participants had left the scheme early.

Notes

(1) Includes job opportunities that were created and approved by the Welsh Government. This includes job opportunities that were withdrawn prior to an applicant being recruited.

(2) Includes job opportunities that were created and approved by the Welsh Government. This includes job opportunities that were withdrawn prior to an applicant being recruited. For Jobs Growth Wales 1 this is the measure against which the 16,000 opportunities over the 4 year period is set and the measure which is reported in Programme for Government.

(3) This includes recycled jobs. For example one job opportunity may result in an early leaver and a completed 6 month opportunity.  The destinations data are based on immediate destination following either the completion of an opportunity or at the point of leaving the scheme early.

(4) Due to early leavers and withdrawal of some opportunities it is difficult to draw comparisons between job opportunities, jobs created and participants.  For example where someone leaves a job opportunity, that opportunity can be given to another person – this typically happens if that person leaves the opportunity within the first 4 weeks.

Jobs Growth Wales 1 Tables

Table 1 shows a breakdown of the different strands. Tables 2 and 3 in the spreadsheet show detailed destinations data for the private sector strand. It is important to note that the early leavers figures include all those who have left since the programme started, however the completed figures will only include those who have completed a 6 month opportunity (i.e. exclude those who are currently taking part in a 6 month opportunity). Therefore comparisons should not be made between these two figures (i.e. summing the figures to obtain a completion percentage). Comparisons should be made relative to job opportunities filled (noting footnote (3) above). Detailed destinations data for the third sector and graduate strands are shown in Tables 4 to 7, whilst Table 8 shows information by local authority.

Quality

The data used in this headline comes from the Management Information System held by the Welsh Government, which is compiled from Jobs Growth Wales Providers and Careers Wales.