TSB becomes first bank to join Government’s Kickstart scheme

TSB has today become the first bank to participate in the Government’s Kickstart Scheme, initially supporting a group of 30 young people to gain work experience through a placement in some of the bank’s core areas - from customer service through to technology project management and fraud prevention.

The Scheme was introduced in September 2020, as part of the Chancellor’s ‘Plan for Jobs’ and helps to fund job placements for 16 to 24-year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. 

The job placements will be for six months and TSB will provide training to ease applicants into their new roles. In addition to the actual work experience, participants will be given employability training such as CV writing and interview skills. At the end of their placement, participants will be able to apply for any suitable vacancies at the bank or will be supported to look for other long-term employment opportunities. The placements will be in Birmingham, Edinburgh and other TSB sites.

Improving social mobility is an important element of TSB’s responsible business strategy – the  ‘Do What Matters’ plan, launched last year. TSB’s participation in Kickstart will provide young people who join the bank with a solid grounding in the skills they need for their future careers and help them to develop their CV to open up future opportunities. 

Liz Ashford, TSB’s Director of HR, said: “I am delighted we’re the first bank to join the Kickstart scheme. Through our partnership with the Government we hope that our applicants will not only benefit from earning a salary but also gain some valuable skills and experience that can help them move into long-term employment in the future.”

John Glen MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said: “Kickstarting our financial services sector isn’t just about seizing new opportunities in the global economy, it also means giving young people access to quality roles in one of the UK’s most important industries. I want to see other banks and firms following TSB’s lead with new Kickstart placements, creating jobs and opportunity right across the country.”