Project Linus UK is a voluntary organisation that aims to provide comfort, security and a hug through quilts and blankets to ill, injured or traumatised babies, children and young people up to the age of 18. Continue reading Cuddle blankets for St John’s Mother & Baby Unit
More than 1,300 new Graduate Apprenticeship work-based learning opportunities will help boost Scotland’s economy and give people a head-start in their careers.
Fair Work Secretary Derek Mackay announced that the target for Graduate Apprenticeships in 2019/20 has been increased to 1,300. This builds on last year’s achieved target of 800 and recognises the increasing demand for gaining degree level qualifications whilst in employment.
Graduate Apprenticeships have been developed by Skills Development Scotland, in partnership with industry and the further and higher education sectors, to provide work-based learning opportunities up to Master’s degree level.
Supporting sectors that have a need for highly skilled jobs, such as civil engineering, digital and cyber security, graduate apprenticeships provide learning and development opportunities for new and existing employees and enable employers to upskill their workforce.
The growth of Graduate Apprenticeships supports the Scottish Government’s ambition to create 30,000 apprenticeship jobs a year by 2020.
Making the announcement ahead of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, Mr Mackay said: “Apprenticeships are a vital piece of the jigsaw to improve Scotland’s productivity, benefitting individuals, employers and the wider economy. That is why we are investing in more apprenticeship opportunities than ever before, ensuing more people benefit from work-based learning.
“We remain firmly on track to achieve our ambitious target of 30,000 new apprenticeship starts by 2020, with a focus on higher level apprenticeships. By increasing the number of Graduate Apprenticeships available for 2019/20 to more than 1,300, more people will have the opportunity to study while they earn and gain first-hand experience of their industry.”
The expansion includes the wider roll out of the Graduate Apprenticeship in Data Science, following a successful pilot funded by the Scottish Government and run in partnership with St Andrews University, University of Edinburgh and global accounting and business services firm, PwC.
Access to Graduate Apprenticeships has also increased through provision, with opportunities available for the first time through University of Aberdeen.
Skills Development Scotland Chief Executive Damien Yeates said: “Apprenticeships offer employers a unique opportunity to invest in and develop the skills their business needs for the future.
“SDS continues to work with business to increase the number of new apprenticeship jobs through Modern and Graduate opportunities – creating skills that meet their needs.
“Scottish apprenticeships now allow employers to introduce young people to their business while they are still at school and keep them in their workforce until they are degree qualified.”
Scottish Apprenticeship Week is the nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging more employers to take on apprentices.
This year’s theme is ‘Skills for the Future’, recognising the importance of investing in the workforce. The hashtag for the week is #ScotAppWeek.
Graduate Apprenticeship delivery partners include:
Tickets for the Springfield Scottish Squash Open, which will see some of the world’s best female and male squash players compete in the capital, are now available to purchase. Continue reading Tickets on sale for 2019 Springfield Scottish Squash Open
Leith Community Centre celebrates its 50th Anniversary on Sunday 10th March 2019. Continue reading Leith Community Centre to celebrate 50 years
Herbal workshops start next week at Madelvic House
The Department for Education has been urged to add the Highway Code to the post-16 curriculum, to improve knowledge among new drivers and reduce road casualty rates. Continue reading Is it time to put the Highway Code on the National Curriculum?
Dear Editor
Every one of us needs the supply of electricity and a lot of people also need gas for heating and cooking. We all need a supply of fresh water: yet all of these industries are owned by private companies, able to fix prices to maintain multi-million pounds of profit for investors.
This supply of electricity, gas and water is essential and is provided by workers in those industries.
Why, then, should such essential services be in the hands of private companies? These basic essential services should be publicly owned.
The control of these basic essential services cannot be left to private individuals and groups of investors. It is backward thinking; it is greedy and immoral however measured.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
HMRC is warning people with landline phones to be cautious due to criminals using phones to contact victims following a rising focus on SMS and email phishing. Continue reading HMRC warns of telephone scams
A 24-year-old Edinburgh man who groomed dozens of young girls online, meeting and raping some of them, has been jailed. Continue reading Man jailed for grooming and sexual offences in Edinburgh
£50 million fund for high street investment.
The Scottish Government has launched a £50 million fund to help boost town centres across the country. Edinburgh’s EIGHT town centres will receive £2.6 million under the deal.
The Town Centre Fund, which has been set up in partnership with COSLA, is supporting councils to ensure their high streets are more diverse, sustainable and successful in the face of changing and evolving retail patterns.
It will be for local authorities to allocate this fund against the themes of the Town Centre Action Plan.
The money will fund a wide range of investments which will make town centres more vibrant, enterprising, and accessible.
This could include the re-purposing of empty buildings for housing or social and community enterprises.
Speaking as he announced the launch of the fund, Economy Secretary Derek Mackay said: “Town centres are facing challenges across Scotland in adapting to a changing retail climate, and it is important that we help them to diversify and adjust to overcome these challenges.
“I want to make sure we can keep life in our high streets, and ensure they continue to be thriving places for communities to live, work and enjoy.
“This £50 million fund will enable local authorities to stimulate and support a wide range of investments which will encourage town centres to diversify and flourish, and create an increase in footfall through local improvements and partnerships.
“It is part of a wider boost to the economy through providing more than £5 billion of capital investment to grow and modernise Scotland’s infrastructure, and a wider package of support to businesses, including maintaining a competitive business rates package and providing the most generous package of non-domestic rates reliefs anywhere in the UK.”
Councillor Steven Heddle, COSLA’s Environment and Economy Spokesperson said: “Local Economic Development drives so much of the other vital things that Councils do on behalf of our Communities. This was a message we promoted as part of our essential services campaign ahead of this year’s budget. We were clear that inclusive growth must be supported through investment in Local Government.
“We welcome today’s announcement of the £50 million for investment in our towns and we will continue to work with Scottish Government on our shared priority of Inclusive Growth and growing Scotland’s Economy.”
Did you know that Edinburgh has no less than EIGHT town centres?
There are eight town centres defined in the current city local plan. They are:
