Jobs boost as Severn Trent looks to create 400 new roles in youth employment drive

Severn Trent is creating 400 new roles for young people across the Midlands as part of a government drive to boost youth employment.

Young people across the East and West Midlands are set for a major jobs boost after Severn Trent pledged to create 400 new roles as part of a government push to tackle youth unemployment.

The water company has become the latest major employer to sign up to the Government’s Youth Guarantee, a scheme designed to ensure every young person has the chance to earn or learn.

The commitment will see hundreds of six‑month paid placements created over the next three years in operational, engineering and customer‑facing roles.

In a further step to widen opportunity, 25 roles each year will be ringfenced for young people with experience of being in care.

The announcement comes as ministers attempt to reverse the rise in young people not in education, employment or training - a figure now close to one million.

The Youth Guarantee, backed by a £2.5 billion investment package, aims to unlock up to 200,000 jobs and apprenticeships nationwide.

Severn Trent’s pledge also responds to a growing skills shortage in the water industry, where around 35 per cent of skilled roles are currently unfilled.

During a visit to the company’s training academy in Coventry, Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith said the partnership showed how employers could play a central role in opening up early‑career routes.

“Every young person deserves the opportunity to build a career they’re proud of,” she said.

“Severn Trent’s commitment shows how working hand in hand with businesses provides young people with the skills, confidence and chances they need to succeed.”

19‑year‑old water technician Daniel Jackson, who began his career as an apprentice, said the academy had given him “the learning and opportunity to do well”, adding that he was excited about where his career would lead.

The company already provides 500 work‑experience placements and 100 apprenticeships each year.

The new roles will sit alongside wider government efforts to expand early‑career opportunities in the utilities sector, including ongoing discussions with Anglian Water, RPS Group and M Group.

The Youth Guarantee package includes a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers hiring eligible young people, subsidised work placements, new foundation apprenticeships and a national network of Youth Hubs. Young jobseekers can also access free support through JobHelp.

Businesses interested in supporting the scheme can find out more at business.gov.uk/recruit.