APPRENTICESHIPS and on-the-job training have helped Hillingdon buck the downward spiral of youth employment, according to the borough’s top college.

Uxbridge College, rated outstanding by education watchdog Ofsted, has warned that with employers less willing to take risks on inexperienced staff, young people need to gain work-based experience before applying for jobs.

Last week, national youth unemployment figures reached a record high of 1.02 million – while Hillingdon was named as one of only six local authority areas to increase overall employment in the last 12 months.

Lorraine Collins, executive director of enterprise and development at Uxbridge College, told the Gazette: “Hillingdon has got a much lower percentage of young people unemployed compared with other London boroughs, however that picture is rising anyway and proportionally Uxbridge will follow that trend.

“Uxbridge College has about 3,700 16-18-year-olds in full-time study, but the question is what happens when they leave and what happens to those who leave education after their GCSEs.

“We run a well-supported programme for those who haven’t achieved in their GCSEs, to give them experience and a glimpse into the world of work.

“There are also some programmes for 14-16-year-olds where the schools have identified pupils at risk, and we work together as partners so they can come in to do vocational tasters.”

Hillingdon Council reported this month that, as at September 2011, there were 168 fewer unemployed in the borough than in the previous year, a fall of about 1.4 per cent, despite the national figure increasing sharply by 4.9 per cent.

While 14.8 per cent of those aged 18-24 in London were not in education, employment or training, the equivalent figure for Hillingdon was 4.3 per cent.

Ms Collins added: “I think employers are reluctant at the moment to give work to younger people if they have someone more experienced applying for the same job.

“In the last year we have started an apprenticeship training agency aimed at tackling this, so employers can hire young people without taking on the risk. It is going well.”

* Are you an employer willing to take on a young apprentice? Email editorialuxbridge@trinitysouth.co.uk.