Evaluation of Jobs Growth Wales 2

Jobs Growth Wales (JGW) seeks to engage unemployed young people aged 16 to 24. It aims to give them valuable work experience for a 6-month period. The placement is paid at or above National Minimum Wage (NMW) between 25 and 40 hours per week. 

JGW secured £53m of investment (including £25m European Social Fund funding). It aimed to  provide employment opportunities to 9,000 participants over the 2015 to 2019 period.

The aim of the evaluation was to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and impact of the 2015 to 2019 Jobs Growth Wales programme. It focused on the period June 2015 to September 2019.

Outcomes for individuals

Between June 2015 and September 2019, 3,989 young people were supported into a work placement through JGW. Compared to the 2012 to 2015 programme, the 2015 to 2019 programme had fewer applicants per employment opportunity. A lower proportion of opportunities were filled. However, where they have been filled, they are more likely to be completed with a positive outcome.

JGW participants sustain high rates of employment. A total of 74% had secured employment at the end of their placement. This rose to 84.6% 12 months later. Almost three quarters (72%) of participants felt their work placement played a role in securing their current position. Employability skills and job-specific skills were most commonly cited by participants as skills they had gained through JGW.

Outcomes for employers

Employers benefited from JGW placements as they helped cope with workload, reduced wage bills and recruitment costs. The placements also helped more than two-thirds of participant employers to grow. The employers who engaged were typically from creative industries, retail, manufacturing, construction, and education sectors. A majority (58%) were more likely to recruit a young person aged 16 to 24 because they participated in JGW.