PETERBOROUGH businesses are being urged not to shy away from employing 16- and 17-year-olds following a change in the law that extends the length of time young people are required to stay in education or training.

Peterborough Regional College will be helping businesses understand the implications of the new legislation at a breakfast event being organised by Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce at the KingsGate Centre on Friday 29 November.

The monthly networking event, which attracts businesses from across the city and surrounding towns, with feature a guest presentation from Stella Cockerill, project manager at Peterborough Regional College. She will explain the recent change in the law that extends the age to which young people are required to continue in education or training.

Stella will explain the impact that the ‘Raising of the Participation Age’ will have on employers, what the implications are for your company when you employ a 16 or 17 year old, and what free programmes are available to help your young employees fulfil their new legal duty to be engaged in some form of learning or training alongside their work.

John Bridge OBE, chief executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, said, “We believe that the skills agenda is key to ensuring a vibrant and innovative environment in which businesses can succeed. Providing young people with access to quality, affordable training is so vital to achieving that, and it is essential that businesses of all sizes understand the changes to the law and the training provisions available so that both they and their staff can use them to their greatest advantage.”