Employment Minister Mims Davies will launch the Gloucestershire Jobs, Skills and Apprenticeship LiftOff by encouraging employers to take advantage of the Government's Kickstart scheme.

The initiative will see the Government fund six-month work placements at the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus employer National Insurance contributions and minimum automatic enrolment contributions.

The minister, who will open Friday's event at Kingsholm with a virtual address and Q&A session, said: "A localised and community-led response is vital to ensuring there are not only opportunities for young jobseekers throughout the UK, but people know what support is available in their local area - and the Gloucestershire LiftOff portal does just that.

"Importantly, this event brings employers, training providers and young people together and it's this integrated approach that will help us rebuild our economy and support people into employment - and I know our job centres across the county are already connecting people with key opportunities."

She continued: "Last week we launched the £2billion Kickstart scheme, which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people right across the country.

"Much like Glos LiftOff, we are urging businesses across every sector to come together and support each other to offer these places so we can provide a diverse range of opportunities to the young people soon to be applying."

The event, organised by Gloucester MP Richard Graham, has reached full capacity under safety rules for 40 employers and 14 panels.

There are slots available for jobseekers which can be booked at glosliftoff.co.uk while the event will be live streamed at glosliftoff.co.uk/livestream 

Mr Graham said: "Our aim is to highlight where the growth and opportunities are - including new Kickstarter placements - and host discussions useful for both jobseekers and small businesses.

"Despite the safety limits on how many people can come physically, anyone in the county can watch the ministers' talks and panel discussions online."

Apprenticeship Minister Gillian Keegan will host a discussion on apprenticeship policy and opportunities, as well as meeting apprentices and their employers.

Job seekers will have the chance to talk to leading employers in sectors like cyber, steam technology, energy transmission and supermarkets, insurance, soft drink manufacturing, care homes, nuclear energy as well as the NHS, Armed Forces, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucestershire County Council and all the county's universities and colleges.

Panels include:

• How big is the cyber opportunity in Gloucestershire? (chaired by Alex Chalk MP with representatives from BAE and Raytheon)
• The Future of Aerospace in Gloucestershire (chaired by Richard Graham MP with Airbus, Safran, GE Aviation and Darchem)
• Upskilling opportunities in Gloucestershire (chaired by Siobhan Baillie MP with SGS College, GlosCol, University of Gloucestershire and Cirencester College)
• Why an apprenticeship can be the best start in life (chaired by Business West's Ian Mean)
• What makes a great CV? (chaired by former Citizen editor Jenny Eastwood with the National Careers Service, Gloucester Rugby and Poetons)
• How to win a job from an interview (chaired by Punchline-Gloucester.com editor Mark Owen)
• How to start a business (hosted by the Growth Hub)
• How to digitalise your business (chaired by Rod Horrocks, GFirstLEP)