Students in one England county are getting some help securing paid internships.

Graduates Yorkshire, a recruitment Web site, recently received £400,000 from the Yorkshire Forward regional development agency for a paid internship program. That program will give 60 recent graduates practical work experience in the Yorkshire area.

The money will help graduates receive coaching, mentoring and paid work experience to boost their employment prospects. Although the Yorkshire region has a £3 billion higher education sector, it also has one of the lowest percentages of graduates employed in the United Kingdom.

Applicants will participate in bootcamp-style training days and assessments before being matched with suitable employers, who will then pay them for their work. According to an article by Training Journal, unsuccessful applicants will receive advice and support to help improve their ability to find a job.

“Many companies take advantage of students by offering unpaid work experience or intern positions,” Graduates Yorkshire CEO Martin Edmondson said. “Not everyone has the ability to work for up to a year without being paid. By offering paid internships, companies gain from getting the most talented graduates, not just the ones with wealthy parents who can afford to work for free. Creating worthwhile roles which involve work on real projects also helps firms get the most out of an intern while offering the graduates genuine work experience.

“Our research shows that graduates bring fresh thinking, enthusiasm and specialist knowledge to companies and can help employers increase productivity,” he continued. “In the current economic climate, businesses need all the help they can get, and an intern can offer real benefits.”