THE stadium of Peterborough United is set to become the new home of an employment centre.
The EFL club’s London Road ground opened in 1913 and holds more than 15,000 fans.
But a £45million government scheme will see the opening of a new employment hub in the League One club’s stadium.
The goal behind the initiative, known as the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer, is to support young people seeking work.
Services such as careers advice, skills training, mental health support and job matching will be brought together in one place for people aged 16-24.
London Road, currently known as the Weston Homes Stadium for sponsorship reasons, will host the centre which is due to open later this year.
It will run in partnership with the Peterborough United Foundation, EFL in the Community, Jobcentre Plus and the wider community.
The scheme covers eight areas across England, with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough one of the selected locations.
Paul Bristow, mayor of Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, said of the scheme: “This will give young people who are at risk of falling between the cracks a real chance to get on in life.
“This hub will be a real one-stop shop – a welcoming place where young people can get the support they need to move into work, training or further study.”
Figures from the Department for Education showed that 3.9 per cent of 16-17-year-olds living in the area were not in education, employment or training.
The national average for this figure is 3.4 per cent.
Peterborough United Foundation chief executive, Gill Wignall added: “By empowering the next generation, we are not only helping individuals into employment but also strengthening our communities and local economy.”
This scheme follows Peterborough City Council receiving a share of £88m from a government scheme to support youth services and set up “youth zones” in the city.
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