Microsoft to create 300,000 training and work placements Steve Ballmer, chief executive of the IT giant, met with David Cameron on Wednesday to discuss the crisis of youth joblessness and how employers can work more closely with government to help equip young people with the necessary skills to find jobs. In a new programme aimed at 16 to 24 year-olds in Britain, Microsoft said it would help hundreds of thousands of young people get the skills and "inspiration" they needed to succeed in getting their first foot on the career ladder. The scheme is aimed at curbing Britain's youth unemployment rate, at over 20pc, which threatens to exclude thousands of young people from society if left unaddressed. Of the 300,000 training opportunities on offer, some 220,000 students will take part in online modules in technology skills, including computer sciences, to help pick up relevant skills for today's workforce. A further 10,000 will be given "pre-apprenticeship" training, which will typically involve helping students to complete five GCSEs, making them eligible to join the on-the-job training schemes. Microsoft has also pledged to create 4,000 apprenticeships at its business over the period, as well as create 1,000 graduate jobs through its supply chain. In a rare move, the company has vowed to feed good candidates who apply for jobs at Microsoft, but are pipped at the post for roles, to the smaller businesses it works with. The rest of the opportunities on offer are a mix of online training, work-shadowing and work experience placements. Mr Ballmer said: "In these difficult economic times, the best investment we can make is in our young people, to help them develop the skills and creativity they need to create our economic and social future." He added the new programme, called 'Get On," would "connect young people with opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship so they can develop the confidence and skills required to compete in a global market and build a rewarding career." The Prime Minister backed the programme. "Microsoft's 'Get On" campaign is exactly the kind of support we need from business to inspire, provide skills, and create meaningful opportunities in the industries that will drive our economy forward in the future," he said. How to enter the HJI-Reed youth unemployment prize - with the chance to win £10,000!