A HAMPSHIRE man has been crowned the first YEUK (Youth Employment United Kingdom) Young Professional in Hampshire. 

Jack Jennings, 20, an operations assistant at the Display Centre in Fareham, which supplies shop fittings and display equipment, was given the status when he passed the YEUK professional test scheme. 

The scheme involves a series of entrepreneurial tests and challenges designed to improve employability and business skills. 

Jack told the Echo about his achievement, saying: “YEUK is a great organisation. There are so many young people, like myself, that don’t have an edge over the competition when finding a job.

"YEUK helps you put something on your CV that employers will find interesting, as well as teaching you the basic skills that you need in a workplace.”

Chris Jones, director of the Display Centre, is a strong supporter of the scheme and said: "Becoming a YEUK Young Professional sends a clear message to employers that a young person wants to take charge of their own career.”

The YEUK business scheme programme run by the organisation Youth Employment UK supports young people in their personal and professional development by explaining the skills and behaviours employers want, and provides a library of resources so they can build and demonstrate those qualities.

Gosport MP and Secretary at The Department for Education Caroline Dinenage celebrated Jack’s achievement saying: “I was delighted to visit The Display Centre on Friday and meet Jack Jennings, one of my constituents, to personally congratulate him on his achievement. 

“It was also very useful to meet with company director, Chris Jones, a great supporter of YEUK to discuss with him how I might help to develop this very worthy scheme.”

Shona Lomas, membership manager at YEUK told us more about the programme saying “we aim to empower young people so they can get out of the pigeonholes into the world of work’’.

“We have pledges from over 300 companies that support the scheme and our employers guarantee interviews for graduates that complete the programme, this helps build a better future for young people.”

Caroline and Chris hope to expand the scheme in Hampshire by introducing young people to the YEUK Young Professionals scheme and to helping young people take control of their careers in the coming months.