Business leg-up for out-of-work graduates

The University of Central England's management centre has devised a course to help unemployed graduates.

Funded by the Birmingham Training and Enterprise Council, the course offers the chance to take a Level 3 National Vocational Qualification in management, which can take up to 18 months, in 16 weeks. It will take place for the second year running this autumn.

Colette Keene, marketing officer for the centre, emphasised that this is not a basic skills course: "The group on the first course had extremely good interpersonal skills. But their degrees were in arts or science subjects rather than business and management, and they were looking to acquire the skills that will help them get jobs in business".

Of the 26 who completed the first programme in April, 17 had found jobs by the end of August. To qualify for the programme, applicants have to be under the age of 25. But they can apply within a day of signing on as unemployed and are still eligible for other programmes. They receive an allowance of Pounds 60 a week while on the course.