Jolt, a leading online business school backed by Octopus Ventures and Balderton Capital, today announces that it has created over 400 work placements at some of the UK’s most exciting tech businesses through its bespoke version of the Government’s Kickstart Scheme. 

Since launching the scheme last year, Jolt has built a coalition of over 40 fast-growing businesses, including Bulb, Bloomberg, allplants, OLIO, and the Plum Guide - who have pledged to help young people across the country gain a foothold in the UK’s tech industry. Businesses are recruiting Kickstarters for a range of roles, including in sales and marketing, data management, business development and operations.

Jolt partnered with the Government and the UK tech industry to deliver the bespoke version of the scheme - specifically created to suit the needs of high-growth startups. As part of the programme, the company provides 100 hours of intensive training in commercial business, tech and employability skills. 

The specially designed training modules come alongside the work placement, which is fully funded by the Government and during which Jolt continues to provide support and mentoring, ensuring that Kickstarters leave Jolt’s training with the knowledge and skills they need to be ready to add value from day one. 

Working in partnership with tech companies to open up roles, Jolt is helping to create a new pipeline of future talent for UK businesses, and providing a pathway to high-skilled, high-quality jobs for unemployed young people, as well as providing an essential boost for the UK’s fastest growing industries.

Oliver Beach, UK MD at Jolt, said: 

“Since launching Jolt’s bespoke Kickstart Scheme last year, I’m delighted to have worked with our employer partners to create over 400 roles at startups and scaleups across the country. These placements are having a transformative impact on young people’s careers, at a time of extreme economic uncertainty. 

“Our Kickstart scheme offers young people across the UK the opportunity to work at some of the country’s most exciting and innovative companies, building employability skills and gaining a foothold in the fast-growing tech sector. It’s a tough climate for young people on the job hunt and I’m proud that Jolt, alongside our brilliant employer partners, is working hard to make a positive, material difference.”

Acting as ‘administrator’ of the scheme, Jolt has built a flexible model which allows employers to sign up and create as many roles as they’d like to offer at any time, with courses scheduled so that new cohorts of Kickstarters can begin live online training on a regular basis. The Kickstart policy and scheme will last throughout this year, and businesses are encouraged to get in contact with Jolt if they would like to get involved.