A free employment programme for young people in Sittingbourne and across Swale is being expanded after its spring results convinced three councils to fund a second round. The Swale Borough Council-backed Upcycle Your Skills course, run by SUEZ in partnership with the careers charity CXK, offers five weeks of hands-on workshops, one-to-one coaching and direct employer access to young people who are not in education, employment or training.
Participants begin with an individual goal-setting session before attending twice-weekly group workshops covering team building, communication, CV writing and interview techniques. They also meet employers and gain behind-the-scenes insight into SUEZ operations. Everyone who completes the programme is offered an interview for a live vacancy at the recycling and recovery firm, creating a direct route into paid work. Lizzie Gregory, programme manager at CXK, said youth unemployment in Swale remains higher than the national average and too many young people were struggling to find their way into work, training or education.
The course was first delivered in summer 2025 through the council’s waste contract with SUEZ and has kept the same structure throughout. After the spring 2026 cohort delivered what organisers called measurable results, three Kent councils committed funding for an autumn programme. Organisers say the collaboration between local government, employability specialists and industry has proved key to building lasting pathways into work for young people across the borough.
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