Tech Industry ‘least sexist’ in UK employment market

A surprising number of job ads still use gender-biased language in the quest for perfect candidates, but some industries are bucking the trend. The technology industry was amongst the least biased of all UK sectors, new research by job search engine Adzuna has found.

The finance and travel sectors also proved themselves more immune to sexist language than many others.

The research was conducted last month and analysed a selection of traditionally masculine and feminine words* across more than one million live job ads on Adzuna, observing the number of adverts in which each word appeared. The search covered 28 sectors and all 12 regions of the UK, to identify the industries most likely to appeal to applicants of each gender.

The research found a high proportion of ‘male-dominated’ words* in adverts for sales and consultancy positions, with words identified as masculine by the study, like ‘superior’ and ‘challenge’ appearing more often than the likes of ‘considerate’ and ‘understanding’.

Adverts for roles in teaching, social work and nursing, on the other hand, were found to be worded in a way that may appeal more to female candidates, with an emphasis on ‘compassion’, ‘warmth’ and soft skills.

Traits that pay

Ironically, greedy candidates are indeed first in line to make top dollar, with average salaries citing this trait topping the salary charts with average pay of over £60,000. Employees with principles, on the other had, command far less, with advertised salaries of £38,000.

The most popular of the ‘masculine’ words included ‘lead’ (410,748), ‘active’ (219,468) and ‘competitive’ (202,188); but ‘outspoken’ (42) and ‘stubborn’ (37) employees were less in demand.

Of the feminine words, ‘support’ (519,187 mentions), ‘responsive’ (483,428) and ‘understand’(241,741) occurred most frequently in job descriptions on the Adzuna website. Conversely, 241 employers sought gentle staff, 132 felt being affectionate would boost chances of job success and just 6 prized modesty in applicants.

Female candidates should cast their eyes East

Northern Ireland and London saw the largest concentration of job adverts geared towards male candidates.

Recruiters in the east of the country, on the other hand (including the North East, East and South Eastern regions) were more likely to appeal to female candidates, based on the language used in job ads in these areas.

Gender divide reopens at the top

Even for the sectors that appeal equally to both men and women, the research highlighted a growing gender divide as the roles became more senior and the salaries rise. In the tech industry, senior data scientists and data architect roles both proved exceptions to the neutral language used elsewhere in the sector.

Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, commented: “While the tech industry once again seems to be making great strides and disrupting traditional recruitment methods, some exceptions still exist. In the emerging world of data science. Our research showed both data scientist and data architect roles remain more appealing for the male of the species.

”Unconscious bias may lead to accidental discrimination, but there is no excuse in 2017.  It’s time for employers to head back to the drawing board and redesign their recruitment basics in order to keep up with the times!

”Recent data from the ONS showed a 19% pay gap persists between male employees and their female counterparts. Despite improvements, it is predicted this gap will not close for at least another 70 years. We need to do better.”

Data tables:

Table 1: Top 5 most masculine job ad sectors

Sector

Average UK Salary

Currently available roles

% of masculine words

1. Sales

£29,687

54,018

58.8%

2. Consultancy

£37,596

19.825

56.9%

3. PR, Advertising, and Marketing

£34,230

25,525

56.5%

4. Property

£33,465

11,135

55.3%

5. Retail

£25,361

38,643

53.8%

Table 2: Top 5 most feminine job ad sectors

Sector

Average UK Salary

Currently available roles

% of feminine words

1. Teaching

£26,594

51,055

64.7%

2. Social Work

£27,741

18,750

61.9%

3. Charity and Voluntary

£27,197

9,302

61.2%

4. Healthcare and Nursing

£33,623

107,423

59.3%

5. Admin

£21,513

46,936

57.8%

Table 3: Masculine words – average salaries and frequency

Masculine word

Average Advertised Salary

Current Vacancies

Greedy

£62,814

12

Heirachy

£42,060

368

Intellect

£46.266

581

Analyse

£47,002

4,865

Hostile

£46,381

151

Dominant

£42,500

1

Analysis

£41,339

74,320

Headstrong

£41,283

15

Principle

£38,430

30,537

Objective

£37,829

67,433

Self-sufficient/sufficiency

£37,533

1,711

Decision

£36,588

65,090

Superior

£36,494

6,570

Lead

£36,491

410,748

Impulsive

£36,098

155

Self-reliance

£35,736

200

Opinion

£34,395

7,049

Logic

£34,807

12,157

Athlete

£34,395

429

Challenge/Challenging

£34,072

146,138

Independent/Independence

£33,768

14

Persist

£33,756

2,400

Active

£33,506

219,468

Boast

£33,487

11,606

Force

£33,350

13,458

Decide

£33,294

5,832

Ambitious

£33,292

70,039

Compete

£32,592

61,419

Determine

£32,186

38,229

Reckless

£32,123

75

Assert

£32,105

4,395

Ambition

£31,721

28,302

Competitiv

£31,534

202,188

Individual

£30,749

226,917

Masculine

£30,270

32

Confident

£30,233

150,185

Courage

£30,240

1,497

Self-confiden

£29,864

6,642

Outspoken

£29,660

37

Stubborn

£28,147

42

Adventurous

£27,142

3,152

Table 4: Feminine words – average salaries and frequency

Feminine word

Average Advertised Salary

Current Vacancies

Tender

£44,013

18,938

Submissive

£40,506

14,041

Flatterable

£38,715

108

Connect

£36,822

33,393

Understand

£35,673

241,741

Considerate

£35,664

35,258

Cooperate

£35,310

6.699

Trust

£35,151

49,600

Yield

£34,564

1,949

Responsive

£33,833

483,428

Interpersonal

£33,648

58,938

Together

£32,897

50,295

Affectionate

£32,733

132

Support

£32,130

519,187

Dependable

£31,350

5.051

Sensitive

£31,254

181,228

Nuture/nuturing

£30,578

20,417

Commit

£30,286

5,727

Continue reading Tech Industry ‘least sexist’ in UK employment market

Local girls get a taste for engineering at Leonardo

Leonardo-Finmeccanica Engineers challenge outmoded stereotypes on National Women in Engineering Day

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Recent research conducted by EngineeringUK confirms that a host of organisations, including universities, media outlets and search engines are still guilty of reinforcing gender stereotypes through their choice of engineering images online. Their study revealed that 85% of engineering image searches and 81% of stock engineering images featured men. Continue reading Local girls get a taste for engineering at Leonardo

Edinburgh College apprentices win medals at UK Skills Show

Gold and bronze for Dan and Jordan

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Two Edinburgh College apprentices lifted trophies at a national skills competition this week, toppling UK rivals as they painted, decorated and crafted their way to success. Continue reading Edinburgh College apprentices win medals at UK Skills Show

Edinburgh’s young people worry over career prospects

But STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) offers good career opportunities for young women too

exam-results

As thousands of teens nervously await tomorrow’s exam results, new research from Scottish Gas has highlighted the depth of anxiety among youngsters in Edinburgh about their career prospects …

  • Two thirds (66.5%) of young people in Edinburgh worry they might not find a career
  • Young women are the most anxious about salary expectations: over a half are concerned about their future earnings
  • Young men in Edinburgh show more confidence when it comes to salary, expecting to earn £34,732 before the age of 30
  • The survey shows young people believe their parents’ generation had it easier

Two thirds (66.5%) of 15-22 year olds surveyed in Edinburgh are concerned about the possibility of not being able to find a job in the future, while 67.5% are anxious about ending up in a ‘dead end’ job.

Research shows that young women are concerned most about being in a low paying job, with 58% admitting they fear that being in this situation in the future, compared to 77% of young men.

In Edinburgh, young women’s salary expectations reflect these worries: those surveyed assumed their earning potential was over 13% lower than their male counterparts. The research showed that on average, young women expected to earn £29,963 by the time they are 30, while young men expect to earn £34,732.

Young people are convinced their parents’ generation had it easier. Over half (55%) of those surveyed think it is more difficult for them to find a good job than it was for their parents. 

Nearly a half (45%) believe it is harder for their generation to find a job with a good salary, while a third (33%) of youngsters think it is more difficult to find a job with good prospects.

When asked about future career paths, the research for Scottish Gas shows that some sectors of the jobs market continue to be overlooked by many young women in Edinburgh. Just under half of those surveyed (46%) admitted they had never considered working in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) sectors.

Last year, just 3.3% of applicants for Scottish Gas’ technical and engineering apprenticeship schemes were women. The company has since put in place a number of measures to attract more women to its apprenticeship scheme. This includes hosting open days aimed at women at its Training Academy in Hamilton and launching a new mentoring programme.

The research found that women in Edinburgh are turning their back on these industries for a number of reasons, including a perception that the industry is sexist (11%), or better suited to the opposite sex (11%).  In addition, 44% of young women put their reluctance to work in STEM sectors down to their lack of knowledge of the subject area.  A further 6% also say there are not enough role models in these industries.

The results cast doubt on the quality of career advice youngsters get from their parents. The research revealed parents in Edinburgh were almost twice as likely to advise boys to take on an apprenticeship compared to girls. 15% of parents would encourage their son to take on an apprenticeship while only 8% of parents would give the same advice to their daughter.  Just over a quarter (28%) of parents said they offered differing career advice to their children, depending on their gender.

John Lochrie, former Scottish Gas apprentice and now Operations Director for HomeCare Services at Scottish Gas, said: “There are some fantastic opportunities for both women and men in these sectors, so I’m concerned to hear that so many young women are put off by careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.

“With boys already taking advantage of apprenticeships, I would encourage girls to think about engineering. Apprenticeships are a great way into an organisation, and at Scottish Gas they allow you to earn while you learn and develop skills for life.”

For young people considering a career in STEM, more information can be found online athttp://www.britishgas.co.uk/the-source.

Julie Dickson (3)

Julie Dickson (above) is currently training at the Scottish Gas Academy in Hamilton.

Julie, 24, joined the Scottish Gas apprenticeship scheme in January last year. She is now training to become an engineer at the Scottish Gas Academy in Hamilton. She applied for the programme whilst working at Scottish Gas’ contact centre in Uddingston to make appointments to fix boilers.

Julie said: “I started working at Scottish Gas during a really bad winter. I would speak with engineers to make sure they were going to help customers who needed our support first, such as the elderly or those with young children. It was really inspirational hearing how they went the extra mile to help people stay safe and warm, despite heavy snow and freezing temperatures. So when I heard that we were recruiting for apprentices, I decided to apply and I couldn’t believe it when I was accepted!”

When Julie arrived at the Scottish Gas Academy she instantly felt right at home. She said: “On my first day, I wasn’t surprised that I was the only female apprentice. I know, from my own experience, that women aren’t really encouraged to go down this route from school. All the apprentices are treated the same and the support and encouragement I get every day from my instructors is amazing.

Talking about the training, she added: “The training is second to none and it has really built up my confidence as well as a lot of my general skills. I really like the fact there’s a mix of practical and theory on the course. I can be learning how to test a boiler in the classroom one minute then apply what I’ve learnt on a mock boiler in the workshop the next. We also get to shadow qualified engineers as well, so we’re fully prepared and confident in our abilities by the time we get to a customer’s home for the first time by ourselves.”

Julie was also inspired to become an apprentice engineer because of her father, who’s now very proud of her achievements. She said:  “My dad works for an aerospace engineering company and started his career as an apprentice. When I was 14, I went along to a ‘bring your child to work day’ at his firm, and that’s when I realised that a career in engineering was for me. I’m delighted I’ve had the chance to get on the road towards following in my dad’s footstep and I’m really excited about the future.”

Now Julie wants to use her experiences to inspire other women to apply. She said: “I’d encourage anyone to consider an apprenticeship. You get to learn life-long skills and get paid to do a job that’s rewarding and enjoyable every day. My goal is to become one of the top engineers in my area to hopefully make other women realise they can get a career in engineering if they work hard.”

ProjectScotland announce six new roles in Edinburgh

ProjectScotland: Helping young people in Scotland to get on in life through volunteering

young women

Young people in Edinburgh looking to develop new skills, take on exciting projects and gain valuable experience this summer should consider ProjectScotland.  The charity, which helps young people get on in life through volunteering, has announced six new and exciting opportunities across the city.

ProjectScotland matches young people with charities working in areas including the arts, sports, youth work and animal care, or to departments within charities such as marketing, human resources, fundraising and journalism.

For budding writers with a keen news sense there is an opportunity for a Journalist and Content Creator to join the team at Relationships Scotland. Or, for those who possess the skill to capture a reader’s attention in 140 characters or less, the disabled access review website and app Euan’s Guide is looking for their next Social Media Guru and Content Whizz!

For those people looking to be out and about this summer, Gorgie City Farm is looking for a Summer Activities Assistant. From taking part in animal work to event planning and tour guiding, the role is perfect for anyone who enjoys working with children and animals.

For a role offering more desk-based experience, Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland is offering multiple opportunities for volunteers to build a variety of skills. Their role of Strategic Group Facilitator will allow a volunteer to gain skills in the provision of key secretariat support whilst the Community Researcher role will give a volunteer key research and organisational skills.

Age Scotland is seeking a Community Contacts Collation Volunteer with great communication skills to help collect information and answer calls on their Silver Line Scotland national helpline. Volunteers will gain valuable organisational skills as well as experience in dealing with members of the public.

Gunduz Ozturk, former ProjectScotland volunteer at Blackwood Foundation, has recently gone on to secure a full time position with Port of Leith Housing Association.  He says his volunteering gave him the edge when it came to securing his job:

“Volunteering is amazing. You get out of it what you put in – I got to learn new skills, got help with training, and realised what sector I wanted to pursue a career in. I really can’t recommend it enough.”

Aileen Kennie, Partnership Manager Team Leader at ProjectScotland, said: “We offer 16-30 year olds a variety of three month quality volunteering opportunities with great organisations across Edinburgh and the whole of Scotland.

“Our partners in Edinburgh, including Lloyds TSB Foundation, Age Scotland and Euan’s Guide, give our volunteers the opportunity to make a positive contribution to their community and develop themselves, while organisations benefit from additional talent and energy.”

All ProjectScotland volunteers receive a travel allowance, are offered a mentor, and are invited to a series of job-focussed workshops designed to help them plan for the future.

Young people in Edinburgh can apply online at: www.projectscotland.co.uk

Ready, set, go! The Graduate Journey

Get ready, 2015 Graduates – your future awaits! Whether that’s a future of internships, experiencing other cultures, or as yet to be decided, your final year of University is the time to get this all under way. It might feel intimidating – adding more to the to do list than simply “pass 4th year” is a troubling prospect, but having the future you want depends on what you do now. What will it hold for you? (writes Sophie Craik).

Ready Set Go Graduate Future WEB LARGEInternships

As a current Intern with Eden Scott, I know first hand how valuable the experience of an internship can be. If you’re going into 4th year and haven’t yet managed to secure an internship, it’s not too late but it is crucial that you try to get one, even if it’s only for a few weeks. The fact that you went out of your way to track one down will really stand out to employers upon graduation, and the reason everyone says it’s important for your knowledge and skills? That’s because it is. If there’s one piece of advice that can be given in the hunt for internships, it’s “just ask”. If you’ve got a great CV, personal website and skill set, you might make a company realise that they could benefit from an intern just as much as you would love to have the experience. Make yourself known to them, and don’t be disheartened – if at first you don’t succeed, email, phone and email some more!

Shorter term work experience placements are also a really good way to build up different types of experience throughout your final year and in the summer after graduation. This will also help you to make connections in the industry and see what company cultures you fit best with. This is an especially useful tactic if you see your future in London or another big city – living expenses for a full internship can be difficult if you can’t stay with family members or have to support yourself, but a few weeks can be manageable if done on a budget. If hostels aren’t your thing, Room for Tea offers an alternative by connecting those with spare rooms in London with people coming from out of town for internships and placements.

Graduate Schemes vs Entry Level Roles

When it comes to grad schemes, it’s best to follow the mantra “apply early, apply often”. Before the applications can start though, you need to know the lay of the land. For example, for 2015 some schemes won’t open until January of that year, whereas others have a deadline of October 2014 – just a month after you’ve returned to Uni. If you’ve already decided on an industry you want to be a part of upon graduation, now is the time to sit down with a trusty spreadsheet and get organised. Even a column of the company name, the deadline and a link to the application page/mechanism will make you feel a little more on top of things.

If you haven’t gotten to that stage yet, dedicate a few days to completely immerse yourself in the world of grad schemes. Some great websites to find them include Milkround and Target Jobs, but don’t let these limit you – if there’s an industry or company that you have an interest in, add them to your spreadsheet and find out if they have a graduate scheme. If you can’t see one listed, there’s no harm in asking – some companies may not have specific graduate channels, but will still hire graduates they see potential in.

Of course, the graduate scheme route isn’t for everyone – if you would prefer to have more responsibility from the beginning and the opportunity to work your way up, then you may be more suited to an entry level role. They tend to be less structured in terms of training, mentorship and guidance, and yet this can be ideal for self starters who prefer to impress through hard work and networking.

Gap Years

Taking a gap year after University is the perfect opportunity to see the world and travel for an extended length of time, especially so if you are heading towards a career that doesn’t offer very much time for travel in the future.

To have the most successful gap year possible, 4th year needs to be spent saving – how much depends on where you’re going. Travelling around Asia, for example, can be relatively cost effective once the flights have been purchased, whereas America or Europe can be more expensive in terms of living costs. You might be able to work on your year abroad, but again, this must be planned well in advance to ensure you have the correct visa and haven’t missed out on any employment opportunities.

Many employers value gap years in job applications, but only if they are pitched in the right way. You don’t have to be doing something constructive with the whole time you’re away – everyone’s allowed some downtime. It is important, however, to be able to demonstate how the experience has strengthened you as a person in terms of skills, experience and global understanding, and so planning activities that you will be involved with accordingly is important to factor in.

Whether you already have your graduation journey all mapped out, or you’re leaving things a little more open ended, the most important thing to remember is to never be closed to an opportunity – you never know which path might be a shortcut to your dream future!

Sophie Craik

edenscott

Youth Employment blueprint launched at Craigroyston

Wood

Education Working For All report

The final report by the group tasked with helping Scotland develop a world class system of vocational education and training has been welcomed by the Scottish Government and education leaders.

Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women’s Employment Angela Constance joined Sir Ian Wood, fellow members of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce and representatives from COSLA, at Craigroyston Community High School to mark the publication yesterday.

Its recommendations include:

  • Youth unemployment should be reduced by 40 per cent
  • Enhanced careers education in Primary School
  • The opportunity to prepare for a Modern Apprenticeship (MA) in the senior phase of school
  • More support for employers to take on young employees
  • Closer links between employers and schools and colleges
  • Measures to improve gender balance in training
  • Measures to remove barriers for young disabled people, care leavers and black and minority ethnic groups taking up training opportunities.

Sir Ian believes that Scottish businesses have ‘got out of the habit’ of employing young people and said schools must prepare young people better for the workplace and ensure vocational training was offered as well as academic qualifications.

He explained: “It’s all about building a bridge between school and college into business and industry.

“We’re suggesting that we set up 15 to 20 employer-led groups across Scotland. They’ll have a three-year life and will facilitate every secondary school in Scotland having a long-term partnership with local employers, to include work experience.

“We’re suggesting a really worthwhile work experience and also better advice and career information.

“Frankly, business says ‘we would like to employ more young people, but we’re not sure how to, we don’t have the resource’. We’ve tried to do something quite concrete to change that.”

The Scottish Government will respond formally to the report in the coming weeks, with £12 million budget consequentials already set aside for youth employment.

Speaking at Craigroyston, Ms Constance said: “Today’s report sets out recommendations to deliver a 40 per cent reduction in youth unemployment by 2020 and a challenging programme to transform the way we work with young people, employers, schools and colleges to ensure that all our young women and men have the choices and opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.

“Our young people are an enormous asset in helping us to achieve our aspiration to strengthen Scotland’s economy. Our ambitions to see significant improvements in our youth employment numbers go beyond a return to pre-recession levels when, during a period of growth, youth unemployment stood 7.7 percentage points above that of the general population.

“A substantial amount of activity to help young women and men towards employment is already in place, including our very successful Modern Apprenticeship programme, which has seen over 77,000 new opportunities in the last three years. Opportunities for All also guarantees every 16 to 19 year old the offer of a place in education or training.

“The £12 million we announced earlier this year will help accelerate progress, and we will discuss with our partners in local government how best that is deployed.

“I would like to thank Sir Ian, members of the Commission and all those who have contributed to this landmark report which both matches the scale of our ambition and clearly sets out the challenges we face in delivering it.

“There is now much to consider and we will work closely with the public, private and third sectors on how the recommendations could be taken forward. Our partners in local government have a pivotal role to play in tackling youth unemployment and will be very much part of this work going forward.”

CCHS

Minister for Learning Alasdair Allan added: “Curriculum for Excellence has been designed to equip our young people with the skills they need to succeed both in Scotland and in the global workplace, with local authorities having the freedom to shape education to meet the needs of our pupils, whatever their background.

“In order to truly give every young person the best possible chance of finding a sustainable career we need world class vocational education and training, allowing schools and colleges to join up with employers so that learning can be even more aligned to student needs.

“Today’s report builds on the steps we have already taken and I look forward to considering with our key stakeholders how it could make the difference we seek.”

EdColl

Mandy Exley, Principal of Edinburgh College, has also warmly welcomed the findings in the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce report. She said:

“The Wood Commission report’s emphasis on ensuring young people at college study courses that will lead to employment in the prevailing labour market echoes our commitment to delivering opportunities that are relevant to the economic needs of Edinburgh and Scotland.

“The report’s objectives of establishing of a world class vocational training system that puts employers at the heart of this process is positive and something we have already embraced at Edinburgh College.

“Greater involvement between employers and colleges fits well with our activity at Edinburgh College. One of our aims is to ensure most full time students have a practical work experience embedded in their course. This is already well established in some areas such as catering and hair and beauty through the college’s restaurants and salons as well as our close links with industry in areas such as creative industries, health and social care, engineering and construction. We are seeking to extend this across all the full time courses we offer, where practical and beneficial to our students.

“The South East Scotland Academies programme that we are involved in is an excellent example of education institutions working closely with schools and employers to equip young people with the skills, experience and attitude to make a difference in industry. We will continue to pursue such initiatives to ensure we provide young people with the experience and opportunities that will help them into employment.”

Cllr Douglas Chapman, COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People added: “This landmark report today by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce comes at a time of great change for Scotland. Whatever happens in September we have already embarked upon a decade long journey of renewal in education as a result of Curriculum for Excellence. The report today by the Commission in many ways represents the next steps that we need to take if we are to have a first class system of vocational learning in schools alongside the more established route to academic success.

“The report recognises the crucial role that our schools and teachers in local authorities across the length and breadth of the country can play at expanding pupil’s knowledge about the world of work and the job opportunities that are out there.

“The report’s recommendations are ambitious and transformational but in no way unachievable. This is because a key strength is that the recommendations are based, in part, on existing good practice which has been developed by local authorities, colleges and partners”

“We look forward to considering the report in more depth with Government in order to work together to progress the recommendations, as it is essential not only to support but also inspire young people with new opportunities to develop long-term rewarding careers.”

 

Jobs Fair at Granton Campus

Edinburgh's Telford Exterior

Edinburgh College is hosting a jobs fair next Wednesday (30 April), where job seekers will have the opportunity to meet potential employers.

The jobs fair is aimed at anyone looking for a new job, including students about to finish their studies and people looking to change careers. More than 20 organisations will be present at the event, where attendees will be able to find out about career opportunities, full and part-time vacancies, and volunteer and placement opportunities.

Organisations attending include: Skills Development Scotland; Volunteer Centre Edinburgh; Radisson Hotels; Smile Childcare; The Action Group; Blue Arrow; Apex Hotels; Autism Initiatives; the Army; the RAF; Jobcentre Plus; Scottish Ambulance Service; Specialized Security; Remploy; Business Gateway; Independent Living Services; Police Scotland; Brightwork Ltd.

As well as employers, the Support@Work group, which is part of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, will be available to advise on employee rights and explain how to resolve any issues with an employer. It has previously helped students with issues such as not receiving the minimum wage or a proper contract of employment. Edinburgh College’s Jobzone and Student Services staff will also be on hand to provide advice about careers.

The jobs fair is free to attend and is taking place on Wednesday 30 April between 3pm and 6pm at:

Edinburgh College Granton Campus,
350 West Granton Road,
Edinburgh, EH5 1QE