Chalkwell in successful Kickstart Funding bid

Sittingbourne-based Chalkwell Coach Hire have successfully bid for funding under the Government’s Kickstart scheme. The scheme was launched as a way of getting 16-24 year olds into work who would otherwise be unemployed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The scheme covers the wages for each placement at National minimum wage for 25 hours per week, for six months, and also covers pension and National Insurance costs. There is a further £1500 per person to help with setup and training costs.

Roland Eglinton

There is a minimum requirement for employers to take on 30 placements, however Chalkwell worked with the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce who aggregated the needs of many smaller employers in the county. Chalkwell will be taking on 7 young people, for a variety of roles including trainee drivers, cleaners, trainee technicians and a marketing graduate.

Managing Director Roland Eglinton said “There are some great young people in the community , who have seen their job prospects greatly reduced due to the pandemic and rising unemployment. By working with the Kickstart scheme we intend on giving these people meaningful experience and the prospect of training and future employment with us. I would encourage other employers to take a look at the scheme and work with local bodies if you need to” .

Details of the Kickstart scheme are at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/kickstart-scheme