Supporting Muslim colleagues during Ramadan

Taking a few practical steps to support Muslim workers during Ramadan will help to create a workplace where everyone is respected and valued, writes TUC’s Riz Hussain. 

For the next four weeks, thousands of Muslims across the UK will be fasting during the daytime to mark Ramadan or Ramazan.  

Ramadan falls at a different time each year because Islam uses the lunar calendar. 

This year, Ramadan will start at the beginning of April and continue for 29 or 30 days from when you begin your fast. 

What happens during Ramadan?

It is a time for deep spiritual reflection and collective rituals for Muslims across the UK. It’s a time for Muslims to share food with their families and friends, and celebrate their cultures, heritage and faith. 

Family eating

The fasting day is long. The morning meal will be before dawn and people won’t break their fast until dusk. That’s 13 hours without food or drink (yes that’s right, not even water!). This can be challenging for many Muslims especially whilst at work.  

That’s why it’s important to support your Muslim workmates, to stand in solidarity with them and create a team culture where everyone is respected and valued, no matter where they’re from or who they worship. 

Practical steps colleagues and employers can take to support their Muslim workmates and friends

Ask colleagues if they’re observing Ramadan 

Don’t be shy about asking Muslim colleagues if they will be observing Ramadan. 

Some people may choose not to take part – perhaps for medical reasons – as fasting is a personal choice. 

Be considerate 

Ramadan should not interfere with everyday tasks at work, but fasting co-workers may be tired or lacking energy during the day. 

Usually the first ten days are the hardest. If you have colleagues who will be fasting, ask them if changing some aspects of work can make it easier for them. 

Be flexible 

Ramadan isn’t only about not eating or drinking during daylight hours. 

It usually means rising early and eating late, and may mean taking part in late night prayers at the mosque or their homes. Ramadan is usually a time for deep spiritual reflection, congregational prayers and lots of social dinners with family and friends. 

Some workers may ask to change their working day or shift times, to take a shorter lunch break, or to make sure they finish on time so they can break their fast at home.  

Being flexible may help people work when they are most productive.  

Some workers might have additional religious commitments during Ramadan. It may be especially important to perform prayers on time through the week. Employers can help by ensuring there’s a quiet space in the workplace for prayers and by allowing short breaks. 

The last ten days of Ramadan are considered to be especially holy. Some Muslim workers might decide to take time off, or ask to change their working patterns to perform all-night prayers. 

The end of the fasting period

Eid ul Fitr marks the end of the fasting period. It’s like Christmas for Muslims – the biggest celebration of the year. 

There is often some uncertainty about which day Eid will fall because it depends on moon sightings, so be prepared for your Muslim colleagues not to know the exact date. 

This may also impact on when they can work and how much notice they can give you, as Eid can last up to three days. 

Supporting colleagues during Ramadan is part of building a culture where everyone is respected and valued. 

This Ramadan, the TUC would like to wish all Muslim trade union members and everyone who is fasting in the UK: Ramadan Mubarak. 

Help for Edinburgh’s young people to access education and employment opportunities

A budget of over £3million is being committed to support more young people into training, education or workplace opportunities over the next year.

This is being done by the City of Edinburgh Council, as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee (YPG) funding from the Scottish Government, as Scotland’s Capital looks to build a stronger, fairer and more sustainable economy.

At yesterday’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work (HHFW) committee (24 March) councillors were given an update on the diverse range of projects and programmes, both new and existing, across the city. These will help to support young people aged between 16-24 years old, from a wide variety of backgrounds and stages of their training or career journeys.

The help that young people can expect to receive through these programmes will include mental health support, early skills training, practical skills training, as well as in-work support and mentoring as they progress into employment. In particular, young people who find it difficult to access opportunities will be targeted to help them to either prepare or give them the tools to find work.  

As part of the initiatives, a further small grant opportunity for third-party employability programmes will be opening in April on the Joined Up for Jobs website.

YPG funding will also go to the NHS to run a new programme for care experienced young people who are looking for work experience, as well as a Job Creation Scheme to support progression from current YPG paid placements. This will offer funding to support the first year of up to 20 Modern or Graduate Apprenticeships within the Council and third sector organisations who are currently providing work placements. 

The city’s five Activity Agreement Hubs will also benefit from additional funding. The Hubs work with young people who have left school without a positive destination, or who drop out of college, training or their first job, to gain the skills they need to move into education or employment.

In addition, in a separate report to HHFW, it was agreed that funding from the Scottish Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee will be used to support a new pilot programme that will look to enhance Employer Recruitment Incentives (ERIs) by offering an uplift to match the Real Living Wage where the employee is from a disadvantaged household and starting a Modern Apprenticeship or gaining a recognised qualification.

The funding is being delivered through the city’s own Edinburgh Guarantee, which last year expanded to help people of all ages access fair work, training and employment.    

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee said: “Thanks to this funding, we are able to continue supporting existing programmes, as well as new projects, that are having a real impact for young people.

“There are so many good ideas and new, innovative programmes by organisations across the city that will help get people’s education and career goals back on track after what’s been a very disrupting time.

“We’re particularly mindful of the impact the pandemic has had on young people and people facing additional barriers. That’s why we also want to make sure that we continue to reach every area of the city by making sure the programmes we fund cover every community.

“The Young Person’s Guarantee grant programme will help to increase those opportunities and will complement the already extensive support provided across the city.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, said: “Our Edinburgh Guarantee promises that no one will be left behind.

“Through the continuation of this small grant programme for another year we hope to make sure those who need our help will be given the opportunity to access the support they need – whether that’s for training or career aspirations – to reach their goals. We also want to make sure that this is spread out across the city and that those experiencing the greatest barriers get the most help from these grant programmes.”

Thistle pilots innovative new training academy to help people move into social care roles

Applications open for Thistle Academy 

Edinburgh health and wellbeing charity, Thistle, has launched a pilot ten-week training course for those looking to start or return to work in social care at a time when many are questioning their career choice as we recover from the pandemic.  

The Thistle Academy is a first in Scotland and has been launched in response to the growing need for long-term social care support and will provide vital training and guidance for those looking for a career in social care.   

Successful applicants will benefit from an intensive training course, as well as a £500 welcome payment and full pay from day one.  

Thistle, which employs just under 500 people and supports over a hundred people with disabilities or long term health conditions to live independently across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife, has seen a significant demand for services throughout the pandemic. Many of its employees have come from different sectors looking to move into a role supporting others. 

A national Aviva survey* found that three in five UK workers wanted to make changes to their careers because of the pandemic, with those aged between 25 and 34 most likely to want to retrain or pursue a completely different career. 

The launch comes as part of the charity’s ongoing recruitment drive and commitment to employee training and development. The in-depth, people-focused course will allow successful applicants to fully develop their confidence before embarking on their social care career.  

Heather Simmons, Thistle Academy Lead, said: “We want to ensure the highest standard of support is available for people living with disabilities and long-term health conditions, which is why we are so pleased to be launching our Thistle Academy for the first time and to be helping those looking to take an important next step in their career. 

“Our trainees will work alongside a supportive cohort of like-minded people who have a passion to make a difference to the lives of others, encouraging those with disabilities or long-term health conditions to live life to the fullest.” 

Mark Hoolahan, Chief Executive of Thistle, commented: “The social care industry is full of highly skilled people who draw on their own experience and natural empathy with others to deliver the best support possible.

“I hope the programme will help attract people who might be looking to make a significant career change and give them the support and confidence they need to progress.   

“The last two years have demonstrated the vital role of social care  in so many people’s lives. The Thistle Academy is our way of showing how much we value our employees and believe in the real difference they can make.

“I hope we will be able to offer further courses later in the year and that the academy will become a permanent part of our recruitment process going forward.” 

To apply to the Thistle Academy, please visit: https://www.thistle.org.uk/academy/apply.  

Applicants should send in a personal statement and a ‘best selfie’ that demonstrates their values, strengths, interests, and why they would be the best fit for the academy. The closing date for applications is Friday 8 April and the course starts on Monday 25th April.  

Finalists will go through to the recruitment day at the Thistle site in Craigmillar, giving them the chance to meet and chat to those supported by the charity, as well as the chance to talk to existing employees. 

Case study – Tracey and Emma’s story  

Tracey is a mum, runs her own travel consultancy business, and lives some distance away from Emma, who she supports on a one-to-one basis. 

Tracey works part-time supporting Emma,  including sleepovers in case Emma needs support during the night, which fits well into Tracey’s routine. 

Tracey acknowledges being a mum to three boys as being good preparation for her role at Thistle. She said: “You’re always having to listen, think ahead, adapt plans and deal with the unexpected. That gave me confidence. 

“I still work as a travel agent and learned from my Thistle experience. One specialism I have added is that I now can offer accessible holidays for people with disabilities. 

“The most rewarding aspect of my role at Thistle is helping Emma live the life that she wants. We really do have lots of fun and laughs together.” 

Case study – Garry’s story  

For more than 30 years, Garry was an engineer and enjoyed the variety he found in this role. He started in Naval defence, working on the design of ships and travelled regularly for work, and then moved to the oil and gas sector where he was able to work locally in Fife.  

Garry had begun to feel the motivation he once had for his job disappear, and when the pandemic hit and the option for voluntary redundancy came about, he took it, and started to reflect on what he wanted his working legacy to be. 

Garry’s personal experience led him to consider support work as the next step in his career. After losing his aunty, his uncle moved into sheltered housing, and Garry became aware of how isolated his uncle was during the pandemic and the many challenges he was faced. Garry soon realised that there were many people like his uncle in the same situation and started looking for job adverts in social care.  

Garry said: “The number of jobs advertised for social work made me realise how much of a need there is, but I felt my chance of getting my foot in the door, given my background, was slim.

“Christine, a coach at Thistle, was great, explaining that Thistle would provide training and that the right person was more important than previous experience.” 

Garry has now been working with Thistle for nearly a year and works closely with a visually impaired man to help him make the most out of life, taking him on day trips all over Scotland and supporting his passion for music.  

Garry continued: “Since I’ve started working at Thistle, I’ve realised the amount of people from every walk of life who need support.

“It’s an important role, and it’s rewarding knowing you are making a difference.” 

https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/news/articles/three-in-five-employees-planning-career-changes-because-of-covid#gref 

Edinburgh task force driving change for the gig economy

The City of Edinburgh Council has pledged its support to Edinburgh’s vital gig economy workforce, a significant and growing aspect of the city’s labour market.

It comes as the City looks to promote better access to fair work standards for people following a series of discussions with workers, trade unions, academics, Scottish Enterprise officials, and civil servants from the Scottish Government.

This inquiry, led by Edinburgh’s Gig Economy Task Force and spearheaded by the Council, was the preliminary piece of work to understand the key issues as well as the immediate actions to be taken alongside the long-term legislative changes that need to be considered so gig workers feel empowered, are treated equally and are able to make a fair wage for a fair day’s work.

Next week (on 24 March) a report from the Task Force will feedback its seven recommendations* to the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee.

If agreed these recommendations will be developed into an action plan to be brought back to committee in Autumn this year (2022). This will focus on short, medium and long-term priorities which the Council and partners across the city will be asked to focus on to improve access to fair work for people working across the gig economy, including zero hours contract workers.

One key area recognised by the inquiry was to understand gig workers’ rights to accessing the data collected on them and what transparency exists on the way company algorithms use this data to determine how jobs are offered, how much workers earn, and other challenges workers face.

If agreed, as part of the recommendations the Council will build on the findings, and continue to work with gig workers, businesses and the Scottish Government to understand more about existing rights of access to workers’ data while also considering whether data driven innovation tools could be used to help gig workers analyse and better understand their earnings and conditions.

The other recommendations* focus on issues relating to licensing and regulation of the gig economy, public sector procurement, alternative business models and establishing a gig economy worker’s charter for Edinburgh.

The short-life Task Force was established in November 2021 as part of the work plan for the Living Wage City Action Group, and after the Council welcomed the UK Supreme Court’s decision to confirm the status of Uber drivers as workers.

Its objective was to understand the real experiences of workers in the gig economy in Edinburgh, while also looking to explore actions that will tackle the concerns and challenges they face and could improve working conditions, rights and quality of employment.

During its inquiry the Task Force recognised that flexibility and ease of access to employment can be a positive aspect of these roles for some workers, usually those using it as a ‘top-up’ to another income stream or those who have caring responsibilities, or for example students.

However, the growth of the sector has been associated with concerns over low rates of pay, poor income security, risk of in-work poverty, poor opportunities for progression, as well poor working conditions and worker safety.

It is recognised that a growing number of people are becoming reliant on gig economy work as the sole source of income, and they tend to be the people most impacted by poor working conditions and unreliable pay.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee and chair of the Gig Economy Task Force said: “As part of the action plan for the Living Wage City accreditation, and as part of our fair work agenda, I knew it was vital that we did some work to look at the gig economy in Edinburgh and the impact on pay, rights and working conditions.

“The Gig Economy Task Force was put together with the aim of getting a clear understanding of where the real issues lie, what powers the council has to improve conditions now, and where we need to focus on, and implement changes, in future.

“It’s pretty clear that there is a strong power imbalance. For many gig economy workers their shifts, performance monitoring and pay are controlled by an algorithm. This can be incredibly disempowering. We need to look at who has access to data, and how that data is used, and understand what reforms could empower workers.

“We also came to the conclusion that we need to look at current licensing powers, and procurement. And look at strengthening workers’ rights, raising awareness of those rights and understanding how the categorisation of workers impacts on their working conditions. For example gig economy workers are classed as ‘self employed’ – but the reality of their day to day working lives is very far from what most of us would consider self employment.

“I hope we’ll come together next week at Committee and agree the recommendations, so that we can get on with these actions, starting the journey to dramatically improving the working conditions for the growing number of gig economy workers in our city.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee said: “This task force was established in response to a motion that we raised regarding Uber and was widened to include other gig economy and zero hours workers by the convenor.

“Our intention is to highlight the rights that these workers should already have and to find ways of supporting their efforts to achieve safer working practices and fairer terms and conditions.”

The Gig Economy Task Force was chaired by the Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, and comprised workers who have first-hand experience of the gig economy and precarious work in Edinburgh, as well as workers’ representatives, academics, alongside relevant policy leads from the Council, Scottish Government and its agencies.

*Gig Economy Task Force Recommendations:

  1. A costed proposal for a dedicated workers’ hub in Edinburgh, providing access to advice and support.
  2. A costed proposal for ongoing campaign work to provide information on and raise awareness on worker rights in Edinburgh, good working practices, and how to access support.
  3. Licensing: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy and precarious workers, businesses and government on issues relating to licensing and regulation of gig economy and precarious employment. 
  4. Procurement: The Council should facilitate and host further work with workers, businesses and government on issues relating public sector procurement fair work and the gig economy. 
  5. Data Rights and Access: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy workers, businesses and government on issues raised during this inquiry relating data rights and access for workers in the gig economy. 
  6. Alternative Gig Economy Business Models: The Council should facilitate and host further work with gig economy workers, businesses and government to hear more about examples observed in other European cities.
  7. A workers’ charter for Edinburgh: Building on all of the above, the Council should facilitate further engagement with gig economy workers and businesses.

The development of this Task Force has been informed by the Council’s Fair Work Action Plan and Edinburgh Economy Strategy, both of which emphasise the importance of fair work that provide citizens with dignity and security of income.

Kaukab Stewart MSP visits SLC during Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, marked the end of Scottish Apprenticeship Week by meeting apprentices at the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the city centre.

Based on Bothwell Street, SLC has a growing Emerging Talent Programme with over 100 colleagues currently on its apprenticeship, graduate and internship programmes.

Kaukab Stewart said: “I welcome the innovative work of the SLC Emerging Talent Programme, supporting young and older people to train and developing skills for the wider digital economy.

“I’m particularly pleased to learn about the Career Ready Mentoring Programme and the recognition that people with particular barriers in the labour market are being supported the most in building more equal and diverse opportunities.”

During the visit, Kaukab was also given a tour of SLC’s new collaboration spaces and Stephen Campbell, SLC’s Chief Information Officer, talked about the importance of developing the skills of the workforce and investing in their futures.

He said: “Our apprentices play such an important role in our business. We offer young people the chance to unlock their potential and gain a recognised qualification, as well as valuable experience in the work environment.

“But we also believe it’s vital to develop the skills of our workforce, encouraging their career growth by providing them with the opportunity to upskill. It was fantastic to welcome Kaukab Stewart into our office today during such an important week for apprenticeships in Scotland.”

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the number of apprenticeships in Scotland and Scottish Apprenticeship Week, co-ordinated by Skills Develop Scotland, highlights how apprenticeships are providing the skills employers need now and for the future.

Edinburgh gender pay gap “well above Scottish average”

  • In Edinburgh, men are paid 14.2% more than women – well above the Scottish average gender pay gap of 10.2%
  • East Dunbartonshire has the biggest gender pay gap in Scotland, with men being paid 26.9% more than women
  • Aberdeenshire is Scotland’s second worst area for gender pay gaps, with men enjoying 22.1% more pay than women

Edinburgh’s gender pay gap is well above the Scottish average, new research can reveal.

In Edinburgh, men are paid 14.2% more than women. The Scotland average gender pay gap is 10.2%

Following International Women’s Day, financial experts Forbes Advisor used new ONS data to explore the gender pay gap for full time employees in every local authority in Scotland to discover which areas have the worst gender pay gap of all.

RANKED: Gender pay gaps in Scotland from biggest to smallest

Scotland areaRankHow much more men earn than women (%)
East Dunbartonshire126.9
Aberdeenshire222.1
Inverclyde320.1
Renfrewshire418.6
Aberdeen City517.9
Moray617.1
Perth and Kinross716.9
Na h-Eileanan Siar815.8
South Ayrshire915.5
Clackmannanshire1015.0
City of Edinburgh1114.2
Argyll and Bute1213.6
East Lothian1313.6
Dundee City1411.6
Falkirk1511.0
Glasgow City1610.7
North Lanarkshire178.8
East Ayrshire187.7
Midlothian194.9
Fife203.4
South Lanarkshire213.3
West Lothian223.1
Scottish Borders232.3
Angus242.2
Stirling251.6
Highland260.9
North Ayrshire27-4.6
Dumfries and Galloway28-7.0
Scotland average 10.2

East Dunbartonshire has the biggest gender pay gap in Scotland. In East Dunbartonshire, men are paid 26.9% more than women – well over double Scotland’s average gender pay gap (10.2%).

Aberdeenshire has the second biggest pay gap in Scotland, with men earning 22.1% more than women – twice the Scottish average gender pay gap of 10.2%. Inverclyde has Scotland’s third biggest pay gap, with men raking in 20% more in wages than women.

Renfrewshire, Aberdeen City and Moray are also some of Scotland’s worst areas for gender pay gaps, with men earning 18.6%, 17.9% and 17.1% more than women respectively.

At the other end of the scale, Dumfries and Galloway and North Ayrshire in Scotland are the only areas in the country where women earn more than men. In Dumfries and Galloway, women earn 7% more than men, and in North Ayrshire, women earn 4.6% more than men.

The Scottish Highlands, Stirling and Angus also have smaller gender pay gaps than the rest of Scotland. In the Scottish Highlands, men earn 0.9% more than women, and in Stirling and Angus, they earn 1.6% and 2.2% more than women respectively.

A spokesperson for Forbes Advisor commented on the findings: “These figures shed light on the concerning gender inequality which still persists in Scotland.

“It’s not enough to tweet about gender equality in the wake of International Women’s Day, we all have a responsibility to ensure that everyone is equally compensated for their labour.

“Not only do men earn 10.2% more than women across Scotland as a whole, but in local authorities such as East Dunbartonshire, men are earning up to 26.9% more than women, which shows that we have a long way to go before achieving fair pay.”

Barratt Developments Scotland announces biggest ever apprentice recruitment drive

Scottish housebuilder Barratt Developments has pledged to recruit 23 new apprentices in Scotland this year as it doubles down on investing in new talent in response to a growing need for skilled tradespeople.

The 23 new trade apprentice roles, which include eight in the east of Scotland, are being launched as part of the homebuilder’s biggest ever apprentice recruitment campaign, and will see opportunities in bricklaying, joinery, electrical maintenance and plumbing in Barratt Developments sites across the country, which includes both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes.

The announcement coincides with the annual Scottish Apprenticeship Week, running from 7-11 March, which celebrates the benefits of apprenticeships for individuals, businesses and the wider economy. At a time when young people have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, providing high-quality employment opportunities is central to economic recovery plans.

Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “This is an exciting time for anyone with an interest in housebuilding to join Barratt. The construction industry is flourishing and we are committed to help young people progress through  the business.

“Many of the apprentices we’ve hired over the years are now in leadership positions responsible for managing and delivering multi-million pound housing developments.

“As one of the country’s top housing developers we are absolutely committed to investing in raw talent, and there’s never been a more important time to provide these kinds of apprenticeship opportunities.”

A shortage of skilled tradespeople has been repeatedly cited as a major risk to the growth and success of the construction sector, both in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The latest monthly construction market survey (Q4 2021) from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) shows the second most significant hindrance to construction activity is a skills shortage, with over two thirds (67%) of respondents reporting that skilled trades and project managers are in particularly short supply. 

The new apprentices, who will start in August, will be based on a designated development site and will learn skills in bricklaying, carpentry, joinery, electrical maintenance or plumbing from experienced tradespeople, as well as attend college each week to gain formal qualifications. 

The announcement comes as five longstanding employees of Barratt who began their careers as apprentices with the company, are celebrating a combined service of 230 years.

CASE STUDY

Gage is laying the building blocks for a rewarding career in construction

With qualifications varying from computing to mechanics and panel beating, it’s fair to say that Gage Wells (23) is passionate about learning practical skills that will serve him well in everyday life. However, after finishing his studies he hadn’t pinpointed exactly what he wanted to do as his career.

Although Gage had little hands-on construction experience of his own, he was surrounded by people working within the industry; “My dad’s a joiner and initially I wanted to follow in his footsteps, but after testing it out I realised it wasn’t the trade for me. I also dabbled a bit in plastering and as a sparkie, but it was my brother-in-law, who works for Barratt Homes as a labourer, who told me about an apprenticeship in bricklaying, and I decided to give it a go.”

After successfully being offered a place on Barratt’s bricklaying apprenticeship scheme, Gage is currently in his first of four years. He’s based on-site at Barratt Homes in Winchburgh, Midlothian for two weeks of each month, with the other two weeks spent at Edinburgh College’s Granton campus.

Although he’s only in his first year of the apprenticeship, he’s been involved with the bricklaying process since day one – laying his first brick the very first day he started. Since then he’s also received training on how to safely use blades and ladders and works alongside more experienced members of the team to learn the trade first-hand. 

Perhaps no surprise given his qualifications but it’s the practical side of the apprenticeship that Gage enjoys best, something many apprentices would agree on. This is reflected in his hobbies outside of work, where he takes his three younger brothers fishing and camping to learn different survival skills. Prior to starting his apprenticeship, Gage also helped with caring for his younger brother, and he’s passionate about helping to upskill the next generation in the future. 

Gage’s also developing his analytical and technical skills and feels he can put his mathematical brain to good use, as it’s incredibly important to be precise when building a house. For some, physically building a home might seem like a daunting task, but when asked how it felt laying his first brick, Gage said: “I felt very accomplished when laying my first brick, it was like I was just meant to be there – almost as if the building blocks had fallen into place.”

Since starting his apprenticeship in August 2021, Gage reckons he has helped to build at least 15 homes in Winchburgh. He loves how rewarding his job is, how friendly the people are and the fact that he always has someone to work alongside him.

The UK is currently facing a bricklayer shortage. Bricklayers have been repeatedly cited as one of the hardest trades to recruit, with more than two-thirds (68%) of construction sites struggling to hire bricklayers (State of Trade, 2020). Skills like Gage’s will be increasingly in demand, and it’s a great time to consider learning a trade. In fact, Gage’s goal when he is fully qualified is to start his own business and support more young people like himself into bricklaying and helping to reduce the shortage within the trade industry while providing a lifelong and rewarding career.

And Gage’s advice for anyone thinking about an apprenticeship? “Just go for it, I have no regrets! I learn a lot of transferrable skills, get to work with great people and it’s set me up with a trade that will always be needed.”

Over £106m contributed to the economy by Barratt East Scotland

Housebuilder supports 1,652 jobs, completes 732 new homes and 13.1ha of green space

Barratt Developments Scotland, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, has made a substantial contribution of £256.3m to the Scottish economy, with the housebuilder’s East Scotland division supplying £106.9m in GVA itself.

In the year ending 30 June 2021, Barratt East Scotland has also completed 732 new homes of which 144 were affordable and supported 1,652 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the region.

2021 also saw the largest UK housebuilder reinforce its commitment to creating homes for nature as well as people. The business created 13.1ha of public green spaces and private gardens around the region, the equivalent of 19 football pitches, to help support wildlife on and around its sites.

Barratt is working towards reducing its direct carbon emissions by 29% by 2025 and indirect emissions by 24% per square metre by 2030. In the past year, CO2e emissions per 100m.sq. of completed build area fell to 2.25t. across the East Scotland business.

98% of construction waste was also saved from landfill and 26% of new homes were built on previously developed land, up 54% on the previous year.

Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt East Scotland, said: “As the UK’s largest housebuilder, and one of the most sustainable, we place considerable emphasis on supporting people, the environment and generating strong economic growth for the region.

“To have contributed over £106m to the economy and supported over 1,652 jobs is a fantastic achievement and we’re determined to do even better this year.”

As part of its housebuilding activity, Barratt East Scotland has made £5.4m in local contributions to help build new facilities and community infrastructure. This contribution includes the provision of 320 new school places.

More than £19.3m has also been spent on physical works within communities, such as highways, environmental improvements and community facilities.

Other key findings from the Barratt East Scotland 2021 socio-economic report include:

·       Increased support for public services with £23.9m in generated tax revenues

·       Over £36,400 donated to local charitable and community causes

·       284 supplier and 335 sub-contractor companies supported

·       Increased support for the UK supply chain with 90% of all components centrally procured, assembled or manufactured in-country

·       More than £10.7m in retail spending by new residents, helping support 114 retail and service-related jobs

The development of new and future talent remains a key priority for Barratt Developments Scotland and 53 graduates, apprentices and trainees launched their careers with the company in 2021, 15 from the East Scotland Division.

The assessment of Barratt Developments’ performance was carried out by independent consultants Lichfields, who analysed socio-economic impacts through the delivery chain for new housing based on Barratt datasets, published research and national statistics.

Joined up approach for new green jobs

A new partnership approach will be embedded across the education and skills system to ensure employers and government are working together to deliver training opportunities for the new green jobs of the future.

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation recognises the critical importance of providing the current and future workforce with lifetime access to learning new skills, upskilling and retraining as part of plans to unlock Scotland’s economic potential.

The strategy sets out how public, private and third sector partnerships can work together to help make Scotland’s workforce more agile and support employers to invest in emerging economic opportunities.

This work is designed to help build a fairer and more equal society by ensuring economic transformation tackles inequality and drives up working standards and improves pay.

Actions include:

  • working collaboratively with employers and unions to increase investment in upskilling and retraining to better meet the needs of employers and employees in Scotland’s transition to net zero
  • supporting and incentivising employees, and their employers, to invest in skills and training throughout their working lives
  • expanding Scotland’s available talent pool, at all skills levels, to give employers the skills pipeline they need to take advantage of opportunities
  • implementing the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan to align Scotland’s skills system with business needs to reach net zero
  • implementing the next phase of the Green Jobs Workforce Academy and launching a new skills guarantee for workers in carbon intensive industries
  • developing proposals for a national digital academy to open up access to a range of subjects for all learners

Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The next decade will be decisive for Scotland’s economy and a key part of achieving our enormous economic potential will be investing in one of our greatest economic assets – our people.

“We want to build on the success of our Young Person’s Guarantee, Future Skills Action Plan and our investment in the Green Jobs Workforce Academy to create a skills system that offers lifetime access to new skills and retraining.

“A collaborative approach across all sectors will support our commitment to lifelong learning to ensure people across Scotland can access the tools they need for the jobs of the future and to participate in the labour market. This will also support employers to access incentives to invest in emerging economic opportunities which has the potential to lead to new jobs, new skills, and new ideas.”

Milestone for Meadowbank

The City of Edinburgh Council-led regeneration of Meadowbank has reached another major milestone this week as Councillors agreed to appoint a development partner for the next stage of the project.

Approved at the Finance and Resources Committee on Thursday following a competitive procurement process, the £1.045million contract will be awarded to the Edinburgh Meadowbank Group, to be referred to as EDMB, a consortium comprising of John Graham Holdings, Panacea Property Development and Miller Homes.

They will progress design and pre-construction works by early 2023 ahead of the start of construction work on site.

The ambition for the development of Meadowbank is to create one of the Capital’s greenest neighbourhoods by incorporating low-car, low-carbon infrastructure with energy efficient homes.

The regeneration will deliver around 600 new mixed tenure homes for sale and rent, at least 35% of which will be affordable with a number being fully wheelchair adapted.

Positioned on the site adjacent to the new Meadowbank Sports Centre off London Road, it will also include space for a range of commercial and community uses on the ground floor including the proposed location for a GP Surgery.

High quality public realm and landscaping, focusing on the industrial and sporting heritage will provide new active travel routes through to Restalrig, while protecting and enhancing the existing trees and environment.  

During the pre-development period, work will be carried out to prepare for construction, including developing detailed designs and agreeing a net zero carbon energy solution for the site, contributing to the Council’s ambitious target to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.

The Meadowbank masterplan for the site was approved in October 2020 following an extensive programme of community consultation.

Regular engagement on proposals for the site has continued with the Meadowbank Sounding Board – a group consisting of local representatives, councillors, and council officers – which continues to review progress and ensure the site continues to best meet the community’s and council’s priorities.

A wide range of community benefits and fair work proposals will also be delivered. These will include seven new apprenticeship positions and fourteen new job opportunities; site visits for local schools over the course of the development; employability support events; community enhancement projects, including donations of up to £100,000 to community groups; and all employees and sub-contractors will be paid the Real Living Wage.

Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resource Convener, said:Strong and extensive scrutiny has gone into this procurement process to get us to this point. We’ve discussed this at committee today and agree that we have a pre-development partner in place that shares our vision while also offering us best value.

“We now want to deliver more affordable housing and space for retail businesses, while we hope to provide a much-needed GP surgery provision to benefit everyone within the local community.

“It’s great that these homes are located a short distance from the city centre and will be both cost effective to heat alongside some that will be wheelchair accessible.  With the Meadowbank masterplan also having been awarded a ‘Building with Nature’ accreditation we know that development will be setting standards for sustainable design, implementation and maintenance of high-quality green features so I look forward to seeing the results of this stage of the development and what EDMB can bring to that.”

 Councillor Joan Griffiths, Vice Convener, said: “Seeing another stage of our masterplan getting closer to becoming a reality is very exciting, especially as it will provide so many homes for the city, contributing to our ambition to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.

“This development and wider neighbourhood, shaped by the local community, will bring a great regenerative feel to this area of the city.

“Through the community benefits programme we have agreed as part of this contract, we also hope to bring new jobs and training opportunities for local people, offering opportunities for local school leavers and children to be part of the vision for Meadowbank.”

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/meadowbank