By March 2010, 20,000 graduate internships overall will have been created in the private, public and third sectors to help young people develop the skills they need to build their employability. There will be different models for these internships. Up to 10,000 of these places will be delivered in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses, of which at least 5,000 will receive an allowance towards the cost of the internship. That will provide £100 per week towards the wage costs involved and employers will meet the balance.
These places are being provided through the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the universities. Details of the funding awarded will be published in January and we expect the bulk of the employers to be providing internships and receiving allowances by the end of March.