A MAJOR charity is teaming up with local authorities - including Bury - to fund a special scheme aimed at helping young people to get into work.

The Prince’s Trust says youngsters are struggling to develop the skills they need to get jobs, leaving local companies short of well-trained recruits.

In an effort to combat the issue, the charity is pouring £6m into the Future Workforce Fund, with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) adding an equal amount.

The Prince’s Trust says its new scheme will expand the currently available personal development and employability courses and provide new opportunities for unemployed young people.

The charity also wants to help youngsters develop the confidence they need to move into work or training.

The Prince’s Trust plans to work with employers in Bury to establish specialised courses in industries such as computing and construction.

The charity specialises in supporting people aged between 11 and 30 years old in projects across the country but the future workforce fund is centred around the North West and Greater Manchester in particular.

It will include organising visits to businesses, holding recruitment days where employers can meet prospective new starts and offering training opportunities on the job.

All of this aims to help bridge the current gap between employers and young people.

Clare Crabb, director of the North of England for The Prince’s Trust, called the project “ground-breaking” and said she hoped it would be able to help thousands of people across Greater Manchester.

She said: “At The Prince’s Trust, we believe that young people can be the solution to skills shortages that many employers tell us they’re facing, and the Future Workforce Fund is a huge step towards unlocking the potential of undiscovered young talent across Greater Manchester.

“Expanding delivery of our programmes in the area will allow us to support even more young people to kick start their careers, working with employers who want to take a fresh look at young talent.”

She was joined by Cllr Sean Fielding, the GMCA lead for Education and Skills who said he was looking forward to seeing what the project could bring to the lives of young people in the region.

“It’s fantastic news for young people across our city-region that there will be even more opportunities for them with the introduction of the Future Workforce Fund,” he said.

“The courses the Prince’s Trust will deliver will really help young people discover their potential and prepare them for the world of work.

“I look forward to our city-region reaping the benefits of this new initiative.”

Any businesses hoping to get involved with the scheme can find out more here: www.princes-trust.org.uk.