Hundreds of jobs are set to be created in Wolverhampton thanks to a funding boost to improve the prospects of unemployed young people.

The city has been handed almost £3 million by the Department of Work and Pensions’ Future Jobs Fund, which will lead to 455 new jobs being made available. The fund aims to create around 2,000 new jobs in the Black Country from October 2009 for long term unemployed people aged 18 to 24. In Wolverhampton, the new positions will be made available in a variety of different organisations.

At Heantun Housing Association, 159 traineeships will be created to undertake roles in catering, construction, care, energy advice and environmental improvement.

Other roles will be in waste management, outreach and housing, foyer and youth work, neighbourhood nurseries and children’s centres and administration.

Groundwork Black Coun-try will employ 100 young people in horticultural, woodland and canals.

A further 76 jobs will be created at the TLC College, in Waterloo Road. Forty of these will be IT technicians, tutors and support staff for the college’s ICT digital project.

Another six will be created in user career and IT support and 30 more in instructor roles including exercise leaders, health advisors, programme assistants, activity leaders, lifeguards and mentors.

The Lighthouse will be employing 50 people in roles including project manager, project assistant, graphic designer, web designer, events assistant, technical assistants and marketing assistant.

New Cross Hospital will also receive a boost with 20 new jobs being created in the roles of full-time auxiliary nurses and the council’s own leisure services department will employ 50 more people in the roles of assistant sports coaches and sports staff.

Councillor Paddy Bradley, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise at the city council, said: “We are delighted. The creation of new jobs is always welcome but, given the current economic climate, the news is even greater.

“And, as well as creating hundreds of new jobs in the city, the Future Jobs Fund will support a number of great projects in Wolverhampton.”