Pictured above: (l-r) Geoff Inskip, chief executive of Centro, with Pertemps People Development Group clients Aurangzeb Basharat, Saleem Hussain and Nurhaji Noor, and The Prince's Trust's head of programmes Alex Lamb

Young unemployed Birmingham people are on the road to a brighter future after completing their journey into the world of work by clinching jobs in public transport.

A total of six young people were recruited by Centro - the West Midlands integrated transport authority - in a variety of roles following a unique training initiative staged in partnership with youth charity The Princes Trust.

Among the successful candidates were Aurangzeb Basharat and Saleem Hussain, clients of employment experts Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG), who are celebrating receiving eight week contracts in Centro's Concessionary Travel Team.

Aurangzeb, aged 20, from Springfield, and Saleem, aged 24, from Sparkbrook, had both been unemployed for more than six months and were referred to PPDG under the Government's Work Focused Training initiative. PPDG employment coach Jennifer Hall recommended they should take part in The Prince's Trust Get Into Transport Support Services training programme.

The four-week programme supports young people who have been long-term unemployed, have struggled at school, have been in trouble with the law or have been in care. It gives them practical skills in transport services and hands-on experience from work experience placements with Centro.

The training programme gave the apprentices the opportunity to experience a number of different job roles including customer service, transport information surveyors, bus stations and interchange, smartcard and business administration. They also got the opportunity to improve their teamwork and communication skills and boost their confidence, interview skills and CV at the same time, as well as receiving six months progression support from The Prince's Trust.

Jennifer said: "It is fantastic to see Aurangzeb and Saleem start work with an employer that offers real opportunities. Once they were selected for the training programme they made the most of the opportunity by demonstrating commitment and being totally focused. As a result of their performance they were offered eight week contracts. The Centro scheme was great and I know they both thoroughly enjoyed it. They learned a lot and they are both now working in a career that they perhaps wouldn't have considered. They also have the chance to progress at Centro if they work hard and prove themselves."

Geoff Inskip, chief executive at Centre, said. "This has been a fantastic initiative and I am delighted to have Saleem and Zeb working with Centro's Concessionary Travel team. The young people worked really hard during the Get Into Transport four-week training programme and I hope that we have helped them gain and develop skills and experience that will aid them to find employment."

Kathy Williams, Prince's Trust West Midlands regional director, said: "These young people have been struggling to find work and the Get Into Transport course has given them vital skills which will help them to find employment. We seek to support young people who are hardest to reach and our work is more relevant than ever at a time when youth unemployment still remains at high levels."

Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) was awarded the £8.3 million Work Focused Training contract by the Learning Skills Council (LSC) to provide vocational training opportunities and employability skills to 18 to 24-year-olds.

The move is part of the Government's Backing Young Britain campaign, in partnership with the Future Jobs Fund and the Community Taskforce, which encourages organisations to provide young people with the opportunities they need to get into work. Until March 2011, PPDG will be providing vocational training linked to the needs of the local labour market that progresses young people towards the achievement of full Level 2 or 3 vocational qualifications that can be continued in work or around work if required.

PPDG is delivering the contract from sites in Birmingham and Solihull, West Bromwich and the Black Country, Coventry and Warwickshire, the Marches and Staffordshire.

PPDG works in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and other organisations to deliver employment and training initiatives including Flexible New Deal, Employment Zone, Lone Parent mentoring, and Learndirect training programmes.

More than 100,000 job seekers have been helped into sustained employment by the company since the projects began. It has trained 130,000 people in vocational skills, and over 175,000 people have benefitted from professional information, advice and guidance services.