A nuclear engineering firm is working to open up career opportunities for young people.
Lancaster-based Like Technologies has teamed up with the Lancashire & Cumbria Institute of Technology (L&C IoT) to promote routes into technical careers as youth unemployment hits the highest levels in 11 years.
The company, which maintains and re-engineers legacy control systems for UK nuclear power stations, is targeting a skills gap in electronic engineering despite high unemployment rates among 16 to 24-year-olds.
Kate Houlden, managing director at Like Technologies, said: "I feel strongly about making sure young people have different paths available to them.
"Electronics as a career path has quietly disappeared from the mainstream.
"There are well-paid careers in this sector and training pathways to get there, they're just not talked about enough."
The L&C IoT, a collaboration between colleges, universities, and local employers, aims to deliver technical education for young people seeking alternatives to university.
Through the partnership, Like Technologies hopes to boost awareness and uptake of engineering careers.
The company has already piloted a free introductory course in electronics, with 45 out of 65 participants securing employment within six months.
It has since joined the L&C IoT's employer panel and is exploring apprenticeship opportunities through connections with Blackpool & The Fylde College.
Linda Dean, managing director of the L&C IoT, said: "Like Technologies is a fantastic example of how employer partnerships can make a real difference to young people in our region, at a time when we need it most.
"As well as creating career pathways, by working directly with local colleges and shaping what is taught, employers can help ensure that young people in the region have a genuine route into skilled, well-paid careers.
"That is exactly the kind of collaboration the IoT was created to support."
The UK currently has nearly one million young people not in employment, education, or training.
Share