Cornwall Council has successfully bid for part of a £120,000 pool of cash to train unemployed young people.
The council, partnered with the Real Ideas Community Interest Company, will now work with around forty unemployed 18-24 year olds to train them in basic consumer rights, customer skills and food hygiene.
Cornwall Council Fair Trading Team Manager Nigel Strick explains: "We plan to use the expertise of our Trading Standards and Environmental Health professionals to help these young people, who will be referred to us by JobCentre Plus, gain useful qualifications.
"This will not only help improve their chances of securing employment in the retail and catering industries but also give them confidence and get them into a working environment.
"We hope to involve local branches of major supermarkets as venues for the delivery of the training.
"This will expose the trainees to potential new employers, provide an opportunity for major supermarket companies to demonstrate their support for the local economy and provide opportunities for supermarket staff to undertake the training at the same time.
"Venues across Cornwall will be approached so as to avoid any issues about students travelling to receive the training and to target unemployment hot-spots."
Cornwall Council cabinet member for the economy Julian German said: "I am delighted that Cornwall is one of only six areas to be given funding through the Regulatory Innovation for Growth Grant. This is further proof that innovation is very much part of what Cornwall is about and that Government recognises this and takes Cornwall seriously."
