IN CORNWALL, we have many talented young people who feel they have no choice but to leave the Duchy to find better job opportunities.

We have some great training providers and brilliant young people, but we need them to feel they have a future in work in Cornwall.

Over recent years, the number of young people across the country who aren’t in education, employment or training has grown to almost a million, which is not good for them or our economy. That’s why the government is taking action to open more routes into work, training and education.

One of the biggest steps is the Youth Guarantee initiative. Over the next three years, the government is investing £2.5-billion to create thousands of new opportunities for young people to earn a wage, learn and gain experience.

This includes reforms to the Growth and Skills Levy to ensure apprenticeships and training meet the needs of both young people and employers and can be used more flexibly; prioritising young apprentices and opening more routes for school and college leavers to join new industries – in Cornwall that looks like digital, renewables and critical minerals, amongst others.

New Youth Guarantee pilots are being rolled out across the country. Cornwall is a great place to pilot government-backed schemes like this. Our hospitality sector is world class and would build skills and confidence in our young people. We also desperately need skilled construction workers.

There’s an expansion of Youth Hubs to make support easier to access with a new one opening in St Austell, while Jobcentres will offer dedicated sessions and follow‑up support for 16 to 24 year‑olds on Universal Credit.

Young people will also have more chances to get hands‑on experience through structured work placements and employer‑designed training programmes that prepare them for real jobs, including schemes that guarantee a job interview at the end.

Additional support will help young people who are out of work. This includes financial incentives for employers who take on young people or new apprentices, supporting them to train new staff. Alongside this, the Jobs Guarantee is being expanded so young people who have been searching for work for a long time can access a funded, paid role as their first step into long‑term employment.

It’s been tough for young people for a long time. Covid, the cost of living and lack of SEND provision in schools, have taken their toll. This government is funding childcare, setting up state nurseries and breakfast clubs and restructuring the SEND system for the upcoming generation. However, this generation of young people coming out of school now will need extra support.

We need to work closely with businesses to make sure they are able to take the opportunities offered for getting young people onto the first rung of the jobs ladder. Training a young person is a time commitment and an investment that I know many employers want to take on, but the climate is difficult.

My focus will be on supporting young people and employers in Truro and Falmouth. For more information, visit business.gov.uk/recruit.