The UK Government has announced plans to expand apprenticeships, work experience and training for young people in professional services, construction and defence.
The announcement includes a commitment from professional and business services firms to recruit 22,400 apprentices aged under 25 each year over the next five years.
It also includes 40,000 construction placements annually. These form part of a previously announced construction industry ambition to create 100,000 job opportunities a year.
The Industrial Strategy Jobs Plans for Professional and Business Services and Construction were published on Monday 19th October. Further plans for Digital and Technologies and Defence are due later this week.
The palns does not identify how many opportunities will be available in Renfrewshire.
Professional and business services firms have also committed to increasing work experience opportunities for young people by 20%.
Opportunities will cover accountancy, business and law, alongside artificial intelligence, cyber security and data analytics.
The sector will establish systems to track recruitment and support for young people who are not in education, employment or training.
In construction, a new Construction Apprenticeship Network will aim to increase apprentice recruitment and help smaller firms take part.
Opportunities will span bricklaying, carpentry, electrical work and plumbing, alongside engineering, surveying, planning and construction management.
The construction plans also include work to identify staffing and skills needs nationally, regionally and locally.
The forthcoming Defence Jobs Plan will aim to increase the number of people supported through apprenticeship programmes in the sector to at least 14,000 annually by 2035.
Following an agreement in September, defence firms will expand work experience and pathways for young people who are not in education, employment or training by 25%.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “Too many young people have been locked out of opportunities for too long. These commitments will help change that by creating clear pathways into apprenticeships, training and good jobs.
“It’s encouraging to see even more industries backing young people with new opportunities to gain the skills, training and experience needed to succeed in the growing sectors of our economy.
“By working hand in hand with employers, we’re building a skills system that meets the needs of modern industry while delivering our Youth Guarantee and helping more young people build rewarding careers.”
The plans come ahead of the final Milburn review into young people and employment.
They build on Jobs Plans already published for financial services, clean energy industries and life sciences. Plans for advanced manufacturing and the creative industries will follow.