Food manufacturer 2 Sisters Food Group is to create a network of jobs for young people across its processing sites as it backs Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s £2 billion fund for youth employment.  

The new roles will be aimed specifically at people aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit and are deemed to be at risk of long-term unemployment.

This follows the announcement of the Chancellor’s ‘Kickstart Scheme’ which will see cash used to create hundreds of thousands of six-month work placements.

“The Chancellor is right when he says the UK cannot afford a lost generation because of the coronavirus crisis. The fall-out of this crisis will hit vulnerable young workers harder than other age groups, so my business is well-positioned to help at our sites which have vacancies.”

2 Sisters also has 300 jobs available at its UK poultry business, the majority of roles of which are spread across its two processing sites in Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire and Willand in Devon.

Ranjit Singh Boparan, president of 2 Sisters’ holding company, Boparan Holdings, said: “The Chancellor is right when he says the UK cannot afford a lost generation because of the coronavirus crisis. The fall-out of this crisis will hit vulnerable young workers harder than other age groups, so my business is well-positioned to help at our sites which have vacancies.

“We understand that the Kickstart scheme is an initial six-month placement, but this is not to say there wouldn’t be further opportunities for those starting out on their careers to develop themselves and stay at the business.

“We have a great track record for training our people with many success stories of personal development from shop floor to senior management, so we’d really like to hear from as many people as possible.”