Seminar on youth unemployment to hear recommendations on work placements

A seminar on youth unemployment today will hear that work placements offered to jobseekers must be quality controlled.

Labour MEP Emer Costello, said that she will be tackling the issue when she hosts the talks in Dublin later.

Also up for discussion will be how to get the most out of the Youth Guarantee - the €6bn EU scheme that promises training and educational experience to 18 - 24 year olds who have been out of work for more than four months.

Almost one in three young people are currently unemployed here - nearly triple the total for 2007.

However Emer Costello said that the training opportunities must be worth something afterwards.

"First of all I think the placement should come with some kind or recognition and some kind of certification, we are working at the moment on recognition of work place learning" she said.

"Secondly that when we work with the companies or indeed some of the educational training institutions that are providing placements that there are clear targets set the individual person has a personal programme for targets that need to reach."