Prince backs jobs bid (From Daily Echo)

Echo's drive to help young jobseekers gains Prince Andrew's support

3:30pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Hampshire Business By Arron Hendy

THE Daily Echo’s drive to help get Hampshire’s young jobseekers a vital first step on the employment ladder has been given royal backing.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, threw his weight behind the campaign as he visited Southampton University’s IT, science and engineering careers fair on Tuesday.

He was speaking to exhibiting businesses and students to find out how they are building for the future.

Prince Andrew spoke of the “incredibly competitive”

jobs market and backed the Daily Echo’s campaign, which showcases youngsters who are looking for work.

“If we are going to encourage people into the workplace it’s got to be done locally,” he said.

He added: “There are a number of different ways to help them, including apprenticeship training associations, and you are doing it in the way you feel is most suitable.”

He met some aspiring entrepreneurs at the university and spoke to the Daily Echo about how he believes investment in young people is important to help maintain and develop economic prosperity in the UK.

“I came to the university to see what they are doing and to understand the world-class research that is going on here, especially in optoelectronics in which it is a global leader,” he said. The prince took a tour of the Mountbatten building, where the optoelectronics research includes technology relating to the Internet and medicine.

He also visited Symetrica, a technology company which derived from the university and is now based at their science park.