Jobs and apprenticeships for young people in Brixton Hill was one of our key pledges locally in the 2014 elections. Now, a new levy on developers could help to create hundreds of new apprenticeships for young people in Lambeth.

With millions of pounds of investment going into the borough across dozens of sites, the new ‘Employment and Skills’ planning document will help ensure that local people benefit from the growth that is taking place in the borough.

Addressing the skills gap and providing local people with the training and qualifications they need to secure good, well-paid jobs is a key focus of the SPD. Although the local economy is performing well in many respects, unemployment remains above the national average and 18% of working age residents lack basic skills (NVQ level 2 qualifications or higher). This means that local people often miss the opportunities available as a central London borough – according to the most recent figures a quarter of job vacancies in the borough last year were hard to fill due to skill shortages.  Continue reading →