Downing Street plans careers brand to target youth unemployment

In a document seen by Marketing, Number 10 said it will develop a web platform under the brand ‘I am…’, to help the UK’s estimated 1m young unemployed people.

The site is to roll out in April with the aim of becoming a ‘core utility’, offering ‘the best of careers information’.

It will be supported by a marketing campaign to drive awareness among young people, teachers and parents, also launching in April.

Downing Street is turning directly to the marketing industry to help carry out the initiative and is currently talking to digital agencies about the design and build project.

 
‘Number 10 and the enterprise believe that this is best done by industry, not government,’ the brief said.

Microsoft, Dairy Crest, Centrica, Serco and marketing agency group Engine are among its founding partners.

Number 10 claimed more than 100 companies have shown interest in the scheme, to help with its career 'marketplace' objective offer career advice and internships and mentoring opportunities.

The Prime Minister’s office is in discussions with digital agencies about the design and build of the platform.

Separately, the Department of Health is looking for partners to help it communicate with young people to improve their health outcome, and will be launching a marketing initiative around this later this year.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk