Chancellor Alistair Darling will reveal a scheme to help 18- to 25-year-olds secure work through training and work experience placements, according to newspaper reports on Monday.
Some 50,000 posts are to be made available in social care, where currently one in nine posts remains unfilled according to Personnel Today’s sister publication Community Care.
Public sector union Unison welcomed the proposals saying action was needed to address recruitment problems in the sector, but warned that temporary work experience placements should not be used to fill permanent positions.
A spokeswoman for the union told Personnel Today: “There are already serious shortages in social care, which are only set to get worse. To cope with the demands of an ageing population we are going to need one million social carers by 2025.
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“While Unison welcomes opportunities for young people to gain work experience, these positions should not be in place of paid, full-time jobs. When there are real jobs out there they should be offered as paid, full-time positions, giving people of all ages the opportunity to apply for them.”
The Treasury was unable to confirm the proposals ahead of the Budget.
