E.ON has today announced a £100,000 funding package to kick-start the recruitment of 100 young jobseekers into energy efficiency apprenticeships.

The funding package will attract and recruit job seekers aged between 16 and 24 from across England and Wales who will be trained as external wall insulation installers - one of the key skills which will be needed to deliver the Government's flagship Green Deal energy efficiency programme.

E.ON's commitment is the first to follow the Government‘s announcement of a £3.5 million fund to train 1,000 apprentices in relevant Green Deal skills. The project is designed to get new recruits training and working as soon as possible.

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The new apprentices will be employed by E.ON's network of suppliers. To support their commitment to bringing on new staff, those businesses will have guaranteed contracts with E.ON for the length of the scheme and will be in a stronger position to manage demand for Green Deal in the future.

Don Leiper, Director of New Business at E.ON, said: "Green Deal is about helping people to become more energy fit at home - cutting their energy bills and carbon emissions. But it's also about developing greater skills in our workforce and building up the capacity of smaller businesses to meet customers' needs for the future.

"Our investment unlocks the potential to get young people into training and work, but more than that it helps smaller business to gear up for Green Deal and invest in their staff with the confidence that contracts will be there for the longer term."

(CD/GK)