SOUTH Worcestershire College has launched a new programme to help get young people into work – which even includes buying them a suit for the interview.

The launch of the new course comes as figures published by the Trades Unions Congress show that youth unemployment in Herefordshire and Worcestershire has more than doubled in the last four years.

Called Getting You Work Ready! the course combines work experience with the teaching of job skills, such as how to present yourself to employers.

Principal Michael O’Brien said: “We want help young people break the cycle of ‘can’t get a job without experience, can’t get experience without a job’. This programme has real value by providing skills, work experience, a CV, interview skills and a suit, all geared to getting that job.”

Enrolment for the course is underway and students will spend at least two days a week doing work experience in the college. Participants would will be treated as if they were a college employee, and at the end of the placement, their work supervisor would write a reference.

Starting from January, students will study for a Certificate in Employability, which will include talks from local businesses about what they are looking for in an employee.

􀁥 South Worcestershire College is holding an open evening next Wednesday from 5pm to 7pm.