Tag: careers

Scottish care home residents swap retiral for recruitment!

Care home residents across the country are swapping retiral for recruitment as they seek out new staff to join them in their home. Renaissance Care’s elderly occupants are ready to search high and low, looking for more caring individuals to add to the close-knit team.

The residents, within each of Renaissance Care’s 16 care homes across Scotland, are getting involved in the advertising of positions, interviewing of applicants and final selection process to expand their teams.

Judging the applicants on their skills and experience, the residents are additionally looking for the softer side of the interviewees, ensuring they would be a good fit for their home. A good sense of humour, patience and friendly faces are top of the list for the residents who form close bonds with the care staff working within the home.

The family-owned care group is currently recruiting nationally for carers, nurses, admin workers and a number of other roles within the business. With a wholly person-centred approach to care, staff are offered ongoing training and development opportunities for career progression, alongside strong support from the management team, in order to guarantee residents the best care possible.

Residents Mary Wilson (86), June Langridge (87) and Rita Bryson (84) teamed up with their home manager, hoping to find more staff to join the family at Renaissance Care’s Jesmond Care Home in Aberdeen.

Mary Wilson said: “Living in the care home, the staff are very important to us. The team at Jesmond help us in any way they can, which is vital when you struggle to fully look after yourself as you get older. Since we’ve experienced the care first-hand, I think we know what to look for in candidates.

“I’m looking for staff who are patient, understanding and good listeners. They also need to be ready for a joke too.”

Dawn Gardiner, Home Manager at Jesmond Care Home, said: “We have staff from all different backgrounds at Jesmond, and we all bring something new to the table.

“I believe that if you’re kind and hard-working, you’ll fit right in with us.”

At Croftbank Care Home in Uddingston, Home Manager, Denise Mote, said: “We’re so lucky to have such a caring and dedicated team here at Croftbank, and it will be lovely to welcome some new faces.

“I’ve recently joined the team at Renaissance Care myself, and it’s a fantastic place to work. The residents and staff have been entirely welcoming, and I already feel like part of the family.”

Louse Barnett, managing director at Renaissance Care, said: “Following what has been an incredibly difficult time for residents and staff across the country, it’s even more important that residents are part of the recruitment process, finding people that they can build personal relationships with.

“Renaissance Care is an inclusive place of work, and there really is a role for everyone in our homes. We offer extensive opportunities for our staff to develop their skillset, and would urge anyone with a caring heart and strong work ethic to apply.

“Our staff and residents within each of our homes become a tight knit family, and we are looking forward to welcoming more staff members into the mix.” 

Visit Renaissance Care’s website for current job vacancies at:

https://www.renaissance-care.co.uk/careers.

Competition to put girls at core of new generation of investors

Future Asset aims to boost number of women in investment management 

An educational initiative encouraging schoolgirls to become the next generation of investment experts gets out of the starting blocks next month.   

This year’s Growing Future Assets Competition, which aims to introduce senior girls to the world of investment, its impact and range of careers, begins on 6 September when teenagers from all over Scotland will vie to spot the next big investment opportunity.  

Financial educators Future Asset are challenging teams of 14-18-year-olds to research, analyse and pitch a company they think will be a great long-term investment.  

They will be paired with a mentor from an investment management company who will provide advice, inspiration and career insights, and have the chance to attend online masterclasses as they develop an understanding that good investing focuses on a company’s long-term prospects, profits and sustainability.  

They will also be advised by Executive and Voice Coach Susan Room, to help them feel, look and sound more confident and hear from author, broadcaster and financial journalist Iona Bain on how the younger generation can invest their way to a better future.  

At the same time they’ll hone transferable skills including research, analysis, communication, numeracy, working with others and presentation skills.     

Now in its second year, the competition is divided into a senior contest for years S5 and S6 and a junior challenge for S3 and S4.

The teams of three to six girls will present their case in a research report and three-minute elevator pitch by 30 November. The top teams will then deliver an extended pitch to judges at the final in March next year.  

At stake is: £1,000 for the winning senior team and £200-worth of vouchers of the students’ choice for each team member; £800 for the best junior team and £150-worth of vouchers each.  Senior and junior runners-up will also receive prizes for the school and team members.   

Helen Bradley, Future Asset programme manager, says: “Winning is wonderful but the real bonus of this sort of initiative is the wealth of additional skills and experience that it gives these young women and the window it opens onto a career they may never have considered.  

“Earlier this year an investment research firm reported that more UK investment funds were run by men called Dave or David than by female managers! Future Asset is aiming to change that and this competition is a tremendous opportunity to open up a new era in female-led investment.  

“We’re also very much aware that face-to-face work experience has been off the agenda for the last 18 months so we see this as a valuable chance to bring the world of work into school in a novel way.”  

Future Asset believes that being female should never be seen as a barrier to progressing in a chosen career. Their goal is to enable girls in the senior phase of high school to learn how investment can change the world for the better, gain valuable, transferable skills and consider the benefits of possible future careers. They organise conferences and workshops for girls across Scotland.

For more information visit https://www.futureasset.org.uk/   

Future Asset is sponsored by Baillie Gifford, Stewart Investors and Walter Scott and Partners. They are also backed by Member firms who provide volunteers and mentors, supporting the programme to engage and enthuse girls and increase gender diversity in investment management.  

Police Scotland: Positive Action Team recruitment event

Police Scotland’s Positive Action Team will be hosting an online information/recruitment event aimed at people from Minority Ethnic communities across Scotland.

This event will give attendees and their families a fantastic opportunity to hear from serving Minority Ethnic officers and their experiences as a police officer in Scotland as well as the opportunity to ask questions.

The event will also focus on the recruitment process and the training, with a unique insight in to life at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan from a Minority Ethnic perspective.

Saturday 5th June 2021: 10am – 12pm

To sign up, please contact the following email address:

recruitmentpositiveactionteam@scotland.pnn.police.uk

Are you interested in a career in the fire service?

Scotland’s national service is reaching out to members of the LGBT+ community to encourage them to consider a career in the fire service.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is inviting underrepresented groups to a dedicated online information session about operational and non-operational roles.

An exclusive session is being held for members of the LGBT+ community this week.

Liz Barnes is the Director of People and Organisational Development for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. She said: “As an equal opportunities employer, we strive to ensure our workforce represents the communities we work in.

“We want to reach out to diverse groups. This can help increase the number of applicants, which means that we will get the best candidates applying for the right job.”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the information sessions moved online last year. Next month, they continue with a dedicated LGBT+ event on Thursday (6 May) between 6pm and 8pm.

Liz continued: “During the sessions, we’ll aim to answer questions about the range of careers available in the service and how you can apply for these roles.

“It’s also important for us to discuss any challenges you feel there are and how we may assist in overcoming these.”   

Anyone who wishes to attend can sign up via Eventbrite: 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lgbt-information-session-tickets-152107711259

Places are limited however, there will be a holding list for future events.

More online information sessions are planned for other underrepresented groups who are interested in learning more about careers in the fire service, they will be announced shortly.

Are you interested in a career in the fire service?

Scotland’s national fire service is reaching out to members of the LGBT+ community to encourage them to consider a career in the fire service.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is inviting underrepresented groups to a dedicated online information session about operational and non-operational roles.

This month, an exclusive session is being held for members of the LGBT+ community.

Liz Barnes, Director of People and Organisational Development for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “As an equal opportunities employer, we strive to ensure our workforce represents the communities we work in.

“We want to reach out to diverse groups. This can help increase the number of applicants, which means that we will get the best candidates applying for the right job.”

In October 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions the information sessions moved online for the first time.

This month, online sessions continue with a dedcated LGBT+ event on Wednesday, January 20 between 6pm and 8pm.

Liz continued: “During the sessions, we’ll aim to answer questions about the range of careers available in the service and how you can apply for these roles.

“It’s also important for us discuss any challenges you feel there are and how we may assist in overcoming these.”      

Anyone who wishes to attend can sign up via Eventbrite – places are limited however, there will be a holding list for future events.

More online information sessions are planned for other underrepresented groups who are interested in learning more about careers in the fire service.

CyberFirst Girls Competition

CyberFirst Girls Competition 2021 banner: The story starts with you.

Registration for the CyberFirst Girls Competition 2021 is now open.

The National Cyber Security Centre is working hard to get more girls interested in a career in cyber security. The CyberFirst Girls Competition provides a fun but challenging environment to inspire the next generation of young women to consider a career in cyber security.

The competition is a team event, with each one made up of 4 female students from Year 8 in England and Wales, Year 9 in Northern Ireland and S2 in Scotland.

It consists of three distinct phases:

  • the online qualifying round to identify the top teams in each home nation and English region
  • the semi-final where teams will battle it out in their areas to qualify for a place in the Grand Final
  • the Grand Final where the top ten teams drawn from the regions in England, and from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will gather to compete for the title of UK CyberFirst Girls Competition Winners.

Whatever your ability, from beginner to expert, the CyberFirst Girls Competition is an opportunity to learn something new about cyber security.

2021 Girls Competition key dates:

30th November 2020 – team registration opens

1200 (noon) 25th January – 1200 (noon) 3rd February 2021 – online qualifying round

12th March 2021 – Home nations and English regions semi-final

26th April 2021 – Grand Final

We will be sticking to the same format as last year which seeks to encourage and recognise participation from all parts of the UK, whilst making some changes to ensure the competition can run in a Covid-secure way.​

To begin with, there will be an online qualifier round lasting 10 days, followed by a semi-final round and a Grand Final.​

The content for each category of the competition is consistent with subjects within the Computer Science syllabus from both the National Curriculum and Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence.

However, the competition will contain some advanced cyber topics that are not covered in traditional education but will seek to stretch the lateral thinking and additional cyber knowledge of the teams.

What you need to know:

  1. Teams can … register now! Registration opened on 30th November, and stays open until the qualifier closes on 3rd February 2021. We would recommend registering ahead of the online qualifier though. 
  2. Teams are……made up of up to four female students in Year 8, S2 or Year 9 (NI).​
  3. Teams need……to be supported by a responsible adult appointed by the school who is aged over 18 years and who can act as the team guardian.​
  4. Team guardians……do not need to have any cyber knowledge or be an IT or computer science teacher. Their role is to register the teams and facilitate access to the competition.​
  5. Schools can……enter as many teams as they like if they fit the qualifying criteria (see above).
  6. The semi-final round…..will take place during the school day.​ Students will need to be taken off the day’s timetable should they qualify.
  7. The Grand Final……will take place during the school day.​ Students will need to be taken off the day’s timetable should they qualify.

Jobs for life are a thing of the past

A job for life is a thing of the past, a new survey had revealed, with people now moving job roles more frequently than ever before.

In Scotland, 64 per cent of those surveyed agreed that a job for life was something they no longer expected, with only 15 per cent in the region having stayed working in a role for more than 10 years. Continue reading Jobs for life are a thing of the past

Scottish students gain STEM Skills Experience with TCS’ Digital Explorers

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organisation, announced that it engaged more than 900 Scottish pupils from over 20 schools in Lothians, Central, Strathclyde and Fife, in its renowned Digital Explorers Programme.

At the event, students aged 11-18, were joined by a host of volunteers from TCS and Lloyds Banking Group, as well as special guest, Minister for Public Finance & Digital Economy and MSP, Kate Forbes. Continue reading Scottish students gain STEM Skills Experience with TCS’ Digital Explorers