The Co-op is calling on young people in Bristol to consider becoming funeral directors as it launches its new West Country Kickstart scheme.
Highlighting one funeral director who joined the firm at the age of 18, Co-op Funeralcare has launched 20 work placements for 16 to 24-year-olds in Bristol under the government's maligned Kickstart scheme, under which the government subsidises wages for young people on universal credit for up to six months.
The Co-op says it is topping up the wages of people who join the scheme so they get a wage "in line with what other colleagues receive".
Read more: 'Hidden gem' Bristol restaurant closes permanently
It says permanent jobs will be offered to at least half of the people who successfully apply to join the scheme.
Raegan Drew joined Co-op Funeralcare ten years ago, aged 18, while juggling a job at McDonald's, modelling, and studying a beauty qualification.
She said she doesn't regret switching to funeral care: "A lot of my friends were beyond surprised when I started, and said it wasn’t something they’d ever really considered, but I’m so happy that I went for it.
"I love what I do. I went from wanting to be an embalmer, to wanting to be a funeral director and lead the funeral process from start to finish.
"My advice would be never rule anything out and keep an open mind when considering a career. Your dream job might be something totally different to what you’d expect."
The Co-op says successful applicants will support bereaved families and engage with local communities as they help arrange funerals. They will also receive generic employability training, such as how to nail interviews and online applications.
The firm says it has picked the areas included in the plan - Bristol, Swansea, Reading, Hayes, Watford, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Glasgow - specifically to help struggling communities of young people.
Audrey Furness, head of people at Co-op Funeralcare, said: "We used our own community wellbeing index to identify those places with higher unemployment rates and other challenges that were holding young people back.
"As well as giving candidates valuable work experience, it's very important to us that we make more paid opportunities available in those communities that really need them."
Co-op says young people interested should ask for referrals from their local job centre.
Economically, young people have been among the hardest hit during the pandemic, with those under the age of 25 nearly six times more likely to have lost their job than someone aged 25 and above, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The Kickstart scheme, which is aimed specifically at young people on universal credit, has been criticised for not adequately finding people work. The Labour party says for every 29 young people who've lost work during the pandemic, Kickstart has found work for just one.
Instead, the party proposes guaranteeing young people work, education, or training after six months of unemployment, as well as work or training after 12 months out of work for everyone else.
