Telford Job Box

Young Telford, the only programme of its kind in the UK is providing local young people with the chance to become fledgling entrepreneurs and ‘Make Their Own Jobs’.

Jobless youth is one of the most important challenges facing the UK today and very few inroads are being made to solve this tragic and persistent problem that threatens the stability of societies and the growth of both local and national economies. In June, a further 420,000 young people will move from colleges and universities into ‘flat’ jobs markets across the country.

But in Telford the local Council are facing this challenge head on. In January 2014 Telford & Wrekin Council launched the Job Box service as part of a £1.3million investment to help young people into work and Young Telford is part of that programme, responding fast to the changed world of work where 90% of employment opportunities are within the self-employed and start up business market. The training and support provided by Young Telford for youngsters to ‘Make Their Own Jobs’ and start their own businesses provides very real career prospects, changes lives and build successful futures.

Telford & Wrekin Council have ‘employment’ at the heart of policy making and have been a vital part of the Start Up Revolution that has seen this country achieve the highest number of start ups on record with Telford & Wrekin Borough having a record year in start ups across all ages and sectors.

Fay Easton, the manager of the Young Telford programme said:

“Telford is the fastest growing town in the West Midlands and is known as the ‘Business Borough’ with the Council being resolute in placing ‘employment’ central to their policies. Youth unemployment has been slashed by half in a year and the launch of this scheme to tackle youth
unemployment is inspired and a beacon to other areas.”

“Promoting an entrepreneurial future for young people is a visionary step for a Local Authority; over 250 people have attended Young Telford Start Up events with 30 new young businesses in the early start up stages. These new young entrepreneurs will help inspire other youngsters to believe that they too can take their ‘lives in their hands’ and create their own jobs.”

Across the UK young people are becoming role models for others to follow, from Zoe Slugg, a You Tube beauty vlogger based in Brighton who has just purchased a million pound home at the age of 24, to Ben Towers from Towers Design who was employing 15 people when he was 16 and Nina Devani a software entrepreneur juggling her tech start up with A Levels. These national stars show that you don’t need years of experience or thousands of pounds to start a profitable business. In the enterprising Internet Age all that’s needed is an idea; buckets of determination and the help of more experienced business owners and Young Telford provide this help for young ‘wannabe’ entrepreneurs. To date the programme has supported many budding stars for Telford and these are a few to watch:

Daniel Murrell: UK Phonebuyers

Like many young start-ups Dan is still in education, 19 year old Dan has launched his UK PhoneBuyers venture while studying at Telford College. Dan is heading towards a Degree in Computer Science and due to his determined ‘out of hours’ efforts the business is growing month by month with a percentage of the profits always pledged to a charity in the Borough. Alongside studying and managing the business, Dan also manages to squeeze in the time to be part of the monthly Mastermind of Entrepreneurs Group in Telford and has attended Young Telford Virgin Start Up workshops in London. This young social entrepreneur is ‘one to watch’.

Rob Davies: Pestforce

A New College Telford former student; Rob is a talented young man whose lifetime passion revolves around wildlife, hunting, shooting and farm pursuits. He moved from unemployment, casual working and a bleak future to working with Young Telford and develop a water-tight business plan that enabled him to become the youngest independent franchisee in the country with Pestforce UK. Rob is now trading and plans to help other local young people to find their own entrepreneurial futures as his own business grows in success and stature.

Fay concluded: “All the business support for these and other Young Telford start ups is funded by Telford & Wrekin Council, a Local Authority that clearly believes in the entrepreneurial potential of its young people and is prepared to invest in their success.”

Young Telford will stage an Expo during Global Entrepreneurship Week (November 2015) and expansion plans for the coming twelve months include reaching even more local young people and helping them start their own businesses and become role models to inspire others who face long term unemployment problems.

To register with Young Telford go the start up meet up booking page.