£2 million Green Talent Scheme offers 5000 work placements

A £2 million ‘Green Talent’ scheme will see 5000 green work placements for 14 to 19 year olds.

The contract to deliver the programme has been awarded by DCSF to a consortium led by the Eden Project in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Gardens, the RSPB and the Institute of Education Business Excellence throughout the UK.

The partnership will also include Arrival Education, Business in the Community through the Work Inspiration campaign and the Prince’s Mayday Network, Carbon Trust, and People & Planet.

The programme will introduce young people to the opportunities opening up in the new low-carbon economy, inspire them to become engaged in creating environmental solutions and be a catalyst to a culture change that transforms more traditional work experience so it better prepares young people for 21st century jobs.

The scheme consists of a two-day interactive placement followed by three days of work experience with select companies around the country.

The placement will have participants discovering how people are dependent on nature, how it affects our everyday lives and how we need to appreciate and nurture the environment.

Also, discussing current views on climate change, experience how businesses are already changing to more sustainable operations and how all these things affect their future career choices.

The scheme will start in May, with the first young people due to begin their placements this autumn and will conclude in October 2011.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls said: "This scheme goes beyond traditional work experience to provide an interactive experience that will transform the lives of the young people who take part, giving them real insight into how the environment works and how business needs to respond to it."

Further information:
DCSF