MONDAY 28TH JUNE
Businesses in Renfrewshire are being urged to help young people in their community by giving them a valued opportunity.
A higher than usual number of young people are expected to leave school or college this summer and will be looking to enter the job market. Businesses in the area can help by offering work experience, employment or modern apprenticeships.
A new employer helpline has been announced by the Skills Minister Keith Brown today alongside a package of support to ensure all young people have the support they need to move into long-term sustainable employment. The package includes incentives to employers to take on young people who face specific barriers, vocational pathway opportunities, graduate and entrepreneurial training opportunities. The Minister stressed the need for public, private and third sectors to step forward and offer opportunities where they can.
Skills Minister Keith Brown said: “Scotland’s young people, our future workforce, offer a wealth of talent and skills. The Scottish Government identified early on the challenge of more young people staying on at school or college last year meaning more than ever will leave this summer.
“We have listened to what business needs and wants. We have announced more support as well as one central port of call for business to access incentives, advice and funding to help employers help our young people.
“It is time to Step Forward Scotland and help our summer leavers become achievers to the benefit of Scotland’s economy.”
This support package aims to build on the work by Skills Development Scotland and partners in Renfrewshire which saw 1,962 people start a national training programme in 2009/10. The national training programmes include Modern Apprenticeships, Training for Work, Get Ready for Work and Skillseekers - 873 of last year’s local starts were modern apprenticeships.
Damien Yeates, Chief Executive, Skills Development Scotland said:
"Scotland’s economy is showing a return to growth. Although this is positive news, economic recovery is fragile and there is a continued need to upgrade the Scottish skills base by supporting businesses and individuals.
“Step Forward Scotland, delivered by Skills Development Scotland, is a support package of incentives and offers available to employers to encourage recruitment of young people.
“We need employers to identify how they can help and, as part of this package, there is a new employer helpline to help them do this.
Call the employers helpline on 0800 783 6000 or visit www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/stepforward to find out more.
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Background:
• The Scottish Government has led a Taskforce with Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council over the past three months looking specifically at how best to support this year’s summer leavers.
Case study: Renfrewshire
Michael Hawthornwaite owns and manages Showhome Plastering in Paisley and knows the impact the economic downturn has had on the building trade.
However, the Scottish Government’s Safeguard an Apprentice scheme allowed him to keep one apprentice in a job and complete his training.
Michael launched his plastering company in 2007. Business was going so well he was able to take on 18-year-old Joe Richardson as an apprentice in 2008. Joe is now in the second year of his apprenticeship and is two years into his SVQ plastering course at Glasgow Metropolitan College.
Michael explained: “The support has been a massive help to my business. The New Year is always quiet but this year it has been even more so because of the financial situation everyone is finding themselves in.
“We’re only getting two or three jobs each week, but the extra support helps cover Joe’s wages.
“Without this support, I wouldn’t have been able to give Joe a job. But he now has the chance to develop his skills on site with me and learn more about the plastering trade. He’s really enthusiastic and I want to give him the chance to grow and develop his skills further.
“Skills Development Scotland has been a great help and the advice and guidance it provided has been really beneficial.”
For further information, please contact:
Yvonne Macfarlane at Skills Development Scotland on 0141 285 6237/6000
