Leith Job Fair is coming to the Drill Hall! 
We’re delighted to be welcoming Joined Up for Jobs (part of Capital City Partnership) to the Drill Hall for the Leith Job Fair.
It’s an employability event for clients to come along and meet directly with employers and partners based in Edinburgh for support in looking for jobs, CV writing, job interview preparation.
Thursday 20th July
10am – 1pm, free entry
Find out more on our website. 
A record number of young people were in work, training or further study less than a year after the end of the school term.
The latest Follow-up Leaver Destinations statistics show 93.5% of those finishing school in the last academic year (2021-22) were progressing their studies or careers after nine months – up from 93.2% the year before.
The number of school leavers in work has also reached a record high of 31.8%.
The gap between those from the most and least deprived areas in work, training or further study has also narrowed to a record low of seven percentage points – down from 18.7 percentage points in 2009-10.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “I am greatly encouraged to see we have a record number of young people in work, training or further study less than a year after leaving school. These figures are testament to the hard work of learners across the country.
“We know the pandemic had a significant impact on our education system, but Scotland’s teachers and support staff are clearly preparing young learners for the next stage in life very well, whether that be work or further study.
“This Government has prioritised tackling the gap in achievement between the most and least deprived areas, so I am heartened to see this gap continuing to close.
“As we start to embark on a programme of education reform in the months ahead, it is clear that we will be building on a very strong platform.”
The annual Summary Statistics for Follow-up Leaver Destinations publication provides a snapshot of the destinations of 2021-22 school leavers from publicly funded mainstream schools approximately nine months after the end of the school year.
The Forces Employment Charity will be marking the Month of the Military Child this April, with a brand new set of resources to help young people of those who Serve and have Served with their next career step.
The charity, which was founded in 1885, originally helped veterans find civilian employment and has since expanded its services to offer support to Military families. This has recently extended to offering employment support to Young people from military families, both serving and veteran within the M3 area, owing to its unique EM3 Armed Forces Veterans and Families Programme.
The team working in the EM3 Armed Forces Veterans and Families come from military families themselves and therefore understand the importance of supporting young people who face an ever-changing situation, from frequent moves, education gaps and separation from parents’ and social networks.
Through extra support in education, training and expanding the pool of employment choices and a caseworker, the programmes supports young people to plan a clearer future.
The charity also works with many young people from across the UK through its long-standing programme, Future Horizons. This programme helps early Service Leavers with the next stage of their civilian career, which often includes younger veterans aged between 16-25.
Resources created for the Month of the Military Child will be specifically tailored to help those with little to no work experience of the civilian world, including a starter 101 series which will cover all the basics job seekers may need to get started, such as:
The charity is also planning a social media takeover, which will include insights from people who grew up in Military families, speaking about their experiences, how they have shaped their careers, plus any advice they have to offer others from a similar background.
Joanne McLeod, EM3 Armed Forces and Families Programme Manager at Forces Employment Charity, says: “As a Military spouse, I understand the unique challenges that affect Forces families. From frequent house moves, to needing to fit in and make friends quickly, there can be a lot to manage.
“This can be particularly challenging for service children, who are moving schools, skipping parts of the curriculum and leaving behind their social networks. However, living in such unique circumstances also equips the Military community with an incredible skill set that can set them apart from other job seekers.”
Dame Joanna Lumley is supporting the initiative. Speaking about the impact being a Military child has had on her own career, she says: “Like many Military children, I went away to boarding school at a very young age.
“It meant I had to be able to find my feet pretty quickly and find ways to be able to relate to lots of different types of people. I never realised at the time how much those experiences would come to help me in my career!”
Joanne McLeod adds, “Our role at the Forces Employment Charity is to help people recognise those skills and find the best possible way to present themselves to employers, to maximise their chances of success.
“This is especially important for those just starting out, such as Military young people and/ or Early Service Leavers. I am delighted that we are able to offer a new and specialist set of resources to support this group in celebration of the Month of the Military Child.”
The Forces Employment Charity provides life-long, life-changing support, job opportunities, and training to Service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.
Its team of dedicated Advisors can help job seekers develop their employability to present candidates to employers in the best possible way. That can involve advice on what to apply for, how to find work and develop a good CV, interview skills, training, etc.
For more information visit: www.forcesemployment.org.uk
Team GB and Persimmon Homes have launched Get Set to Build a Community, a cross-curricular challenge to support the development of employability, teamwork and decision making skills in students aged 11–14 in the run up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Originally created as the official education programme for London 2012, Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s youth engagement programme Get Set now offers a broad programme of free, cross-curricular resources and activities for schools and community groups.
Get Set to Build a Community tasks students with planning, designing, building and marketing a community-focussed housing development with Team GB athletes at its heart. They will use knowledge of previous Olympic parks, and plans for future parks, as the basis for a development that upholds the Olympic Values of excellence, respect and friendship.
Selected schools participating in the challenge will receive a visit from a Team GB athlete in the build up to Paris 2024. Participating schools can also request a visit from a Persimmon Homes Ambassador to support the delivery of the programme and talk about the benefits of a career in the home building industry.
With a network of Ambassadors across the country, Persimmon is trying to encourage the next generation of construction workers by giving students the opportunity to learn about the range of career pathways available to them.
Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director at Team GB, said: “The support we receive from our partners is essential in enabling us to take the nation’s best athletes to an Olympic Games, and in turn inspiring households and communities across the UK with their stories.
“The Get Set program in particular supports young people to fulfil their potential, and this new challenge developed in partnership with Persimmon will give the next generation even more opportunities to engage with Team GB in the build up to Paris 2024.”
John Roocroft, Persimmon’s Regional Chairman in Scotland, said: “I am delighted to be launching the Get Set to Build a Community challenge with Team GB.
“At Persimmon we are always looking to see how we can encourage local youngsters to consider a rewarding career in construction, so using our relationship with Team GB in this way is a great initiative.
“I encourage all local schools to take up the challenge.”
A new campaign will encourage families living on a low income to access local support with finances and work.
It encourages people to take the first step towards relieving these pressures with help from the Parent Club website. This can guide them towards tailored support to help them improve their situation by starting work after unemployment, returning to work or improving earnings.
The campaign which includes TV, radio and online advertising, highlights the pressures of everyday life and shows parents feeling the ‘walls closing in’ on them as they juggle family life with bills and other costs.
Cllr Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We know that many families in Edinburgh are finding it hard to make ends meet at the moment and are looking for advice on things like finding work and applying for benefits.
“Taking the first step at ParentClub.scot can help find services that offer free, confidential and tailored advice that can really make a difference for families across Scotland.
“For anyone that’s feeling worried, stressed and overwhelmed, but aren’t sure where to start, please know you’re not alone and that help is available.”
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “We understand the anxiety and stress, that low-income families could be living with and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis is likely to be making even worse.
“Parent Club can guide people to free and confidential tailored advice from local authority employment services, where they can access support relevant to their own work and family situation.
“It also offers information on how to get help from the Money Talk Team who can advise on areas such as maximising income and dealing with debt. Parent Club also provides sources of support with mental health and stress.
“Tackling child poverty is our national mission. We want to make sure parents know what help is out there and claim any support they should be getting.”
Citizens Advice Scotland CEO Derek Mitchell said: “When times are difficult it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by bills mounting up – but our advice is free, confidential, and impartial.
“The Citizens Advice network is working with the Scottish Government to deliver the Money Talk Team service. We can check to see what payments you might be missing out on or any cheaper deals are available to you. If you are struggling with debt we can help with that too.
“Don’t delay, you could be missing out on money that could make a huge difference to you and your family’s finances.”
Edinburgh is bidding for more than £12m in Shared Prosperity Funding from the UK Government as the Council targets support for a series of poverty-tackling community projects.
From money for employment initiatives and skills development to new measures to help Edinburgh’s most disadvantaged through the cost-of-living crisis, up to 32 projects to reduce inequalities between communities could benefit from funding.
The shortlist also includes an initiative to create a number of new community growing areas, projects designed to support people into work and an innovative ‘GreenTech’ Accelerator programme to promote entrepreneurial skills and new start-ups. A ‘Residents First’ programme of exclusive access to cultural events is also planned, alongside a new youth work space and events for older people at risk of social isolation.
Following the submission of the Council’s investment plan, there will be negotiations with the UK Government before initial funding can be released.
If successful, the money will be provided by the UK Government under the Shared Prosperity Fund, which aims to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by funding projects which support local business, people and skills and boost communities and local places.
Acting as a successor to European Union Structural Funds, it could start supporting projects in Edinburgh as early as this October, all the way through to 2025.
A report outlining the bid was agreed by the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on Thursday (4 August).
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Our communities make our city and we’re so lucky to have a great number of incredible people working so hard to support local projects and bring forward new ideas.
“It hasn’t been easy for the panel to narrow this shortlist down and I’m really grateful to everyone involved. They have chosen an exciting and diverse mix of important projects – each and every one of them designed to tackle poverty and improve lives at a local level – and I’m pleased the selection has received Committee’s approval.
“We agreed that we would provide updates on the bid regularly, including the role of under-represented groups. We all want to make sure these efforts are inclusive and support a diverse range of residents.
“This funding allocation really will mean the world to those involved and will allow us to help thousands of people. I’m looking forward to early confirmation from the UK Government on our success with this bid, as I’m keen that we start delivering right away.”
A new Skills Academy to prepare young people for the variety of careers in the construction industry is being launched by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Skanska and Mitie have recently been awarded a 10 year Statutory Inspections, Repairs and Maintenance contract for operational buildings with the Council and have committed to creating a collaborative Skills Academy.
The development and shaping of the model is being supported by partners Edinburgh College, Developing the Young Workforce, Historic Environment Scotland, Skanska and Mitie and is being led by the Council.
The Academy is being set up to address skills shortages in the construction industry both within traditional construction trades but also within professional and back office roles. It also aims to encourage a more diverse and inclusive workforce by starting to work closely with pupils from as early as primary school to provide insights into construction.
To celebrate the launch of the Academy a special ‘Skills Demonstration’ – hosted by Edinburgh College – took place this week in the City Chambers quadrangle on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 May.
Around 100 pupils from four secondary schools, Gracemount, Balerno, Craigmount and Forrester, attended over the two days, taking part in five key construction skills – painting and decorating, joinery, slating, stone masonry and thermal imaging.
Paul Lawrence, Executive Director Place at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “No one can underestimate the impact the pandemic has had on young people in the past two years when it comes to equipping them with the skills for when they leave school.
“It’s important as a Council that we do everything we can to support them and setting up the Skills Academy is a really exciting project. There are a variety of roles within construction outwith the traditional trade apprenticeships that people may not be aware of. We want to encourage more of our young people to explore these fantastic opportunities and provide them with the skills and experience to secure employment.
“The Skills Academy is a great example of the partnership approach we use to drive forward many projects across the city.
I’m delighted that so many organisations have teamed up with us and this couldn’t be achieved without the support and input from DYW, Edinburgh College, Skanska and Mitie and Historic Environment Scotland.
“The unique buildings within Edinburgh need to be protected and maintained for future generations to enjoy and the Academy aims to address the decline in traditional skills and jobs available within the industry.”
Senior General Manager Stephen Monaghan, from Skanska, said: “Succession, competence and technical ability are all core factors that underpin our business at Skanska.
“We are delighted to be involved in this skills demonstration workshop offering our future tradespeople the early opportunity to gain an insight into what is involved in these particular trades. We think it’s really important to give people the opportunity to enhance their future skills.”
Jennifer Melvin, Community Benefits Co-ordinator at Mitie, said: “Myself and Mitie are thrilled to be part of this Traditional Skills Demonstrations in collaboration with DYW’s ‘Build Your Future’.
“Young people are expected to know what they want to do with their lives through their school choices and after leaving school without any experience of industry. Build your future is aiming to change this by providing insight that will support them to make informed decisions, which is certainly a step in the right direction.
It is anticipated the Skills Academy will be fully operational by 2024 – by which time Edinburgh will hopefully have a fully functioning Administration! – Ed.)
Edinburgh College has been confirmed as one of six venues across the UK, and the only Scottish college, to host WorldSkills UK 2022 National Competition Finals in November.
WorldSkills UK sees the country’s top students and apprentices compete in a wide range of competitions for medals and a potential place at a global WorldSkills finals event in France in 2024.
Designed by industry experts, WorldSkills UK competitions help young people grow personally and professionally by developing their technical and employability skills, as well as shining a light on the skills potential across the UK.
The finals are the culmination of a seven-month process including regional heats and intensive training.
The College is hosting eleven finals at its Granton Campus, including Forthside building, during the week commencing Monday 14 November.
Students and apprentices will descend on Scotland’s capital to participate in the following finals: Bricklaying, Carpentry, Foundation Skills: Woodworking, Furniture and Cabinet Making, Joinery, Painting and Decorating, Plastering, Plastering and Drywall Systems, Roofing and Tiling, Stonemasonry, Wall and Floor Tiling.
The week culminates with a live medal ceremony broadcast presented by Steph McGovern who will reveal who winners are from her Packed Lunch studio on Friday 25 November.
Young people across the region will be able to attend competitions and experience the spectacle of the finals at Granton Campus, and drop-in to events showcasing what the college offers as well as gain careers advice and the opportunity to talk to employers and industry experts.
People who cannot attend local events will get the chance to follow things online through a special broadcast featuring live finals action, as well as interviews and advice from previous winners, experts and career advisors.
Other venues across the UK hosting finals are as follows: Barking and Dagenham, Belfast Metropolitan, Blackpool and the Fylde, Cardiff and Vale, and Middlesbrough colleges.
Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “We’re thrilled to have been selected as one of six venues to host finals of WorldSkills UK. We’re looking forward to welcoming students, apprentices, visitors and other stakeholders to our Granton Campus in November.
“Skills competitions like WorldSkills UK are enormous spectacles and provide a platform for skilled students to thrive, and for other young people and those perhaps looking to change jobs to learn more about careers which these highly-skilled disciplines provide. WorldSkills sets the bar extremely high with globally recognised standards and businesses increasingly looking to employ students reaching the heights the standards set.
“More than that, in the context of plugging future skills gaps and the requirement for more skilled workers to be produced to meet national targets across a range of issues including house-building, sustainability, digital infrastructure, to name a few – it is vital that we continue to highlight skills training with events like these.”
WorldSkills UK Deputy CEO Ben Blackledge said: “We are really excited to be taking the show on the road with finals hosted by colleges across the UK. We hope witnessing the drama of the finals live will inspire young people to keep developing their technical and employability skills.
“With 62 finals spread over six venues there should be something for everyone, but we will also be providing loads of online content for people who are unable to get to one of the host venues that week.
“We are looking forward to producing our special broadcast with live action and top tips from industry experts and careers advisors. We are also delighted to confirm that Steph McGovern will be doing the duties on awards night and revealing the winners live from her Packed Lunch studio.
“With skills at the heart of UK government plans to level up and rebuild the economy, we are delighted to be playing our part and giving more young people the opportunity to explore the many opportunities and careers that high-quality skills offer.”
Are you a lone parent in Edinburgh seeking employment? Need help with your CV? Interview skills? Digital skills?
Why not join our 6 week Employability & Digital Skills Course?
Starting Tuesday 18th January 10am-11.30am. Creche and bus tickets provided.
Contact Stacey on 07570106789 or stacey.powchscott@opfs.org.uk for more information or to register your interest.
Thousands more disabled people are set to benefit from a new package of support designed to help them into the work they want.
Minister for Disabled People, Chloe Smith, has today announced that 15 Jobcentre Plus sites will be testing an autism framework, designed with the National Autistic Society (NAS), to transform the service available to jobseekers on the autism spectrum. The framework pilot will aim to help people with autism find, retain and progress in fulfilling jobs.
This comes as 26,000 work coaches in jobcentres across the country are undergoing specialist accessibility training, delivered in partnership with Microsoft, in a further effort to help more disabled jobseekers secure employment.
The work coaches will look at how they can support disabled jobseekers with tools including immersive readers, magnifiers and automated captions, which will not only improve their daily work but will also help with the completion of job applications and interviews.
One in 100 people are autistic and there are around 700,000 autistic people in the UK, according to the National Autistic Society. Not all autistic people will be able to work, but the charity’s research found that the vast majority want to.
Working age autistic people are often locked out of employment due to a lack of understanding and knowledge from employers and colleagues, and anxiety-inducing environments that can be distressing. It is hoped that the framework will help to break down these barriers and see more autistic people in jobs they love.
The Minister for Disabled People Chloe Smith said: “Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to find a job they love and to progress in their career, but we know we must do more to help people with autism.
“By testing this autism framework and offering new specialist training to our jobcentre staff we are helping to deliver more employment opportunities for those who would otherwise feel locked out, as we work towards seeing one million more disabled people in work by 2027.”
The framework explores how best to support autistic people into employment, including ensuring jobcentre appointments with autistic ‘customers’ take place in the right environment and educating local employers in the additional requirements of autistic workers.
For example, many autistic people become distressed in busy, bright or noisy environments. As part of the pilot, jobcentre staff will therefore be asked to carry out appointments with customers triggered in this way in quieter rooms, with more appropriate lighting.
Work coaches will also be able to help providers and employers in the local communities understand the additional needs required by autistic employees, which should in turn create more opportunities for autistic jobseekers in settings where they can thrive.
If successful, the framework could be rolled out to more jobcentres in England, Scotland and Wales, benefitting thousands of people with autism.
Christine Flintoft-Smith, Head of Autism Accreditation at the National Autistic Society, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with the DWP to make sure autistic people get the support they need delivered in the way they need it, when they visit Jobcentres. We both want to work to close the autism employment gap and make sure autistic people are getting the help they need to get jobs.
“Our framework of best practice has been developed with input from autistic people, specifically for Jobcentres. We want all Jobcentre staff to understand autism, be able to think about their practice and make the necessary changes to the support and environment that autistic people need.
“We look forward to our continued work with the team at DWP to get jobcentres working better for autistic people, and to get more autistic people in the jobs that they want and deserve.”
Hector Minto, Lead Accessibility Evangelist (Eh? – Ed.) at Microsoft, said: “Technology has the potential to greatly empower disabled people in the workplace, but awareness is often low, people don’t know that there is support built into modern digital experiences.
“In creating this training with DWP, built on our own internal training, we found there is terrific passion and energy in this workforce to share their knowledge with jobseekers. I am confident that it will drive real impact and help us tackle a real challenge in society.”
