Sizewell C cash helps young people prepare for jobs

Lily Wade and Sean Tsiga are both keen to see how the project helps develop their skills

A group of young people are being helped to improve their job prospects with a nine-month support programme, funded by Sizewell C nuclear power plant.

Beyond Boundaries has recruited 25 participants from Suffolk who are 16-21 years old, including those from marginalised backgrounds or who are not currently in employment, education or training.

Participants will meet up once a week for support sessions with guest speakers, field trips and time with a careers coach, as well as being given a personal mentor.

Group members, Lily Wade, 18, from Ipswich, completed her A-Levels last year and said: "I really want to get into work, but I was struggling a bit... It's hard to get apprenticeships or into jobs when you have no experience, and I heard that there might be experience within this course, which I thought would be really useful."

Aleksandra Kasinska (centre) will lead the Beyond Boundaries programme from the Iscre offices in the centre of Ipswich

The project is being delivered by the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality (Iscre).

The programme does not directly lead to roles at Sizewell C, but aims to improve employability and highlight the breadth of opportunities the energy sector offers.

Sean Tsiga, 18, is in Year 13 at a high school in Ipswich. He said: "I just want to gain some experience, to see how the world is in real life.

"I'm interested in the financial side, in business management, because that's where my strength is, so I just want to build on that."

A divided county

Although the project to build a new nuclear reactor at Sizewell has support from businesses, the government and many in the local community, there also remains strong opposition.

The latest legal challenge from campaigners was in June, with organisations such as the RSPB, which runs the flagship Minsmere reserve next door to Sizewell, also opposing the initial plans.

Phanuel Mutumburi, Iscre's business and operations director, was aware that taking money from Sizewell could draw some criticism. However, he said he was keen to focus on what such funding could achieve.

"Sizewell C has been given government approval. It is going ahead," he said.

"Some people might decide that they don't want to be part of this. It is not going to stop the project proceeding.

"For us as an organisation, we feel that it is better for our young people here in Suffolk to benefit from a project that is taking place on our shores, in our county, rather than other people coming from elsewhere to benefit from that."

Phanuel Mutumburi said his focus is on creating opportunities for young people in Suffolk

The cost of building Sizewell C is £38bn, with the government and EDF taking a stake and investment from a number of businesses, including British Gas-owned Centrica.

Sizewell C has also pledged:

• Up to £100m for the environment, made up of £78m for an environmental body and £22m for habitat creation and mitigation

• A £23m community fund administered by Suffolk Community Foundation

• Up to £22m for employment and skills

• Multimillion-pound investment in improvements to Suffolk's infrastructure.

Jack Raven, senior regional sustainability project manager at Sizewell C, said: "I'm delighted we're working with Iscre on such an important programme.

"We're committed to creating life-changing opportunities for people in Suffolk, particularly those from marginalised communities, and Beyond Boundaries supports our values and goals."

Sizewell C's social partners include Iscre, Inspire, Access Community Trust, Community Action Suffolk, Project 21, Outreach Youth and the DWP.