Young people returning to work are being urged to check if they are eligible for Job Start Payment.
Over 1,000 young people have already benefited from this support since it launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s more than £277,000 invested so far in helping those whose job prospects have been hardest hit over the past year.
Job Start Payment is now £252.50, or £404 if the applicant has children and is available to young people who have been on certain benefits for 6 months or more. This payment could help with travel costs or could be used for clothing, lunches and other expenses that need to be met before someone receives their first salary.
Figures recently released cover the period from 17 August 2020, when Job Start Payment launched, to 31 March 2021.
People can apply for Job Start Payment for up to 3 months after their start date.
You can find out more and apply through mygov.scot or by calling 0800 182 2222.
“11% reported that it is likely they will have to make redundancies in the next 3-6 months putting a potential 1.85 million jobs at risk across the UK”
Owner managed businesses coming out of the third lockdown are still struggling with the impact of Covid-19 and an uncertain economic outlook, according to the Association of Practising Accountants (APA):
11% reported that it is likely they will have to make redundancies in the next 3-6 months putting a potential 1.85 million jobs at risk across the UK
24% reported a negative or very negative impact on their business since the UK left the EU
53% of respondents identified uncertain trading conditions as their biggest single challenge
15% cited Brexit supply chain issues as their single biggest challenge
Nonetheless:
84% of respondents reported that they were either confident or somewhat confident that they would be able to access the finance that they needed over the next 6 months with anecdotal evidence suggesting that the major banks were continuing to lend
Longer term 54% were more positive about their economic prospects outside the EU while 46% were less positive
The research among 435 owner managed businesses across the UK was carried out between April and May by the APA, a network of 17 leading business advisory firms who represent over 14,000 of these businesses.
Commenting on the findings APA Chairman Martin Muirhead said: “What is clear from our research is that a significant minority of owner managed businesses who have managed to pull through the last 12 months are still in survival mode with uncertain trading conditions being the biggest concern to a majority.
“Nonetheless there is also evidence to suggest that those businesses that have managed to weather the impact of Covid-19 are now more resilient and that existing and proposed Government support measures have generally been well received.
“Over the coming months it is vital that Government maintains a flexible and targeted approach to business support focusing resource on those sectors where there is the greatest need. Owner managed businesses form the backbone of the UK economy and need continued, targeted support as we emerge from this third lockdown.”
EXPLORE Data Science Academy (EDSA) is investing up to £250,000 in the strongest and highest achieving graduates in Scotland by offering as many as 40 free scholarships for its six- month online data science courses.
Applications are open now until the 6th June 2021.
EDSA is inviting top graduates that have excelled in their studies and consistently performed well academically to apply and expand their knowledge in Data Science. The EDSA has trained over 1000 young data scientists in South Africa since 2017 and has a graduate employment rate of over 90% at above average starting salaries.
Its courses were recently recognised by Amazon Web Services (AWS), which has partnered with EDSA to offer data science learning to young Africans.
“We believe that our data science course formula, which includes self-study, team challenges, real world problem solving, and world class facilitators, can produce similar results in the UK,” said Shaun Dippnall, CEO of EDSA.
“The higher education system is not producing a sufficient number of work-ready graduates. Our courses are designed to ensure that our students, once graduated, have both the technical and practical skills needed in the workplace,” Dippnall adds.
On completion, the EDSA will assist graduates to find employment through its network.
Skills shortages
A recent survey found that 73% of UK firms believe they lack the talent to complete AI and data science initiatives. EXPLORE Data Science Academy is bridging that gap by offering a suite of comprehensive online courses including Data Science, Data Engineering, Data Analytics, and Business Intelligence, that deliver specialist training in a real-world environment.
Dippnall believes this is an ideal opportunity for highly talented Britons to top up their skills and embark on an exciting career in one of the most sought-after careers at no cost.
“As data becomes the currency of modern business, the race to become data-driven has seen organisations investing heavily in core analytics skills, but lack of support, funding and time available for upskilling are cited as current challenges within the UK data science community,” Dippnall says.
Real world problem solving
EDSA’s courses are practical and deal with real-world problems in business. “The innovative design of our learning platforms and the passion of our scientist facilitators equip EXPLORE students to do great things. Facilitators are experienced in tackling real-world problems and skilfully mentor learners throughout the programme,” he adds.
While the EXPLORE Data Science Academy is new to the UK, its consultancy division EXPLORE AI has been delivering artificial intelligence solutions for Britain’s largest water utility supplier, Thames Water, as part of a project to monitor the supply and demand on its network. There are more than 70 data scientists from EXPLORE AI working for Thames Water, many of which graduated from EDSA.
“The Thames Water success story validates EDSA’s decision to expand out of the South African context and take its place on the world stage. We are excited about our entry into the UK market and I encourage exceptional graduates to apply. This could well be the gateway for 40 such candidates to embark on a thrilling and rewarding career – at no cost. What have you got to lose?” concludes Dippnall.
Data Science Course details
Learners will gain an overview of Data Science and Machine Learning – the skills required to be a data scientist. In the Fundamentals phase they learn how to clean, analyse and visualise data as well as how to effectively communicate the findings. During Machine Learning, students solve real-world problems by building regression, classification and unsupervised learning algorithms in Python. This involves data exploration insight building, improving and communicating models from a raw and unstructured dataset.
Topics Covered:
Data Science Fundamentals
SQL – Create and query a SQL database to extract valuable information
Python Programming – Create Python functions to process and analyse datasets
Visualisation – Building dynamic and interactive dashboards using Power BI
Machine Learning
Regression – Learn about linear regression, variable selection, feature engineering, regularisation, decision trees, parametric methods, ensemble methods and bootstrapping. Build regression models and test the results of forecasts.
Classification – Learn about logistic regression, natural language processing, decision trees, support vectors, neural networks, ensemble methods and hyperparameter tuning. Build and optimise classification models to improve the accuracy of predictions.
Unsupervised Learning – Learn to apply unsupervised techniques, clustering, dimensionality reduction and recommendation systems to gather insight and derive patterns from unstructured data
Have what it takes to be a data scientist?
To apply for a free slot in this world class data science course, applicants must go to https://explore-datascience.net/ and undertake an aptitude test to qualify for selection.
The scholarship application window is open now until and the 6th June.
Two-thirds of Scottish employees (66 per cent) are worried about contracting Coronavirus when they return to their place of work, a new survey has found.
The findings follow a UK-wide survey, carried out by JD Cooling Group, the UK’s leading independent supplier of environmental control systems with offices in Kelty, which revealed that despite the extensive vaccine roll out, many people across Scotland and the rest of the UK remain cautious about the prospect of a return to the office.
Lack of space and ventilation
Almost half (47 per cent) of all respondents cited the possibility of catching Coronavirus through airborne transmission indoors as their biggest concern, followed by 40 per cent who said poor air quality is a worry for them about returning to their workplace.
Two in five said they are concerned their co-workers might not be vigilant enough with handwashing, while 37 per cent of people admitted to being concerned about others not wearing masks. Lack of space is also an issue, with 35 per cent concerned about meetings in smaller rooms with limited ventilation, and a third (33 per cent) concerned about social distancing not being possible.
Providing reassurance
Despite these worries, there are a number of solutions that would help reassure employees about returning to work, with three in five (62 per cent) saying they would like a ventilation system installed to improve air quality, circulation and flow.
Social distancing measures being in place and enforced would reassure two in five (42 per cent), while a third (33 per cent) would be reassured by regular cleaning of surfaces. Two in five (39 per cent) would be reassured if the majority of the company had been given a coronavirus vaccine – slightly higher than the 32 per cent who would be reassured if they had been given the coronavirus vaccine themselves.
Changes to the workplace would also help to provide reassurance, as three in ten (31 per cent) support changes to allow them to have their own office or workspace, 26 per cent supporting Perspex screens being added to their workspace, and a fifth (18 per cent) feeling reassured if gloves and PPE was provided.
Mike Gould, HVAC Manager at JD Cooling Group said: “This data clearly shows that while there are measures in place, such as face masks and social distancing, people remain concerned when it comes to the next stage of restrictions lifting, and it won’t be enough to simply open doors and windows to encourage better air flow.
“Even with the vaccine roll out, proper ventilation is coming out as the top way to help employees feel comfortable about returning to the office.
“Good ventilation can rid a workplace of contaminated and stale air. As people are still clearly concerned about catching the virus at work, it’s important that employers do what they can in order to protect, reassure and ultimately keep their workforce safe.”
The study also found a significant minority (42 per cent) said that they would be likely to consider looking for another job if their employer did not put in adequate measures to minimise the spread of Coronavirus before they returned to their normal workplace. This highlights the importance of employers taking steps to protect their workforce.
Beyond this, the pandemic will undoubtedly have far-reaching long-term impacts on workers’ attitudes, as a third (35 per cent) say that they will be more concerned about catching common colds and flu viruses at work than they were before the pandemic, even after the vaccination programme has been fully rolled out.
180 posts to include first ever apprentices in onshore wind business
ScottishPower today announced its highest trainee recruitment drive since 2016 as it welcomed COP26 President Alok Sharma to the UK’s largest onshore wind farm on the outskirts of Glasgow.
Today’s announcement will see 180 separate opportunities for young people to join the company’s operations in Scotland, England and Wales. For the first time in the company’s history, apprenticeships in its ScottishPower Renewables’ onshore wind arm are on offer.
A Principal Partner for the United Nations climate change conference (COP26) to be held in the city later this year, ScottishPower is investing £10billion in the UK over five years – £6 million every working day – to double its renewable generation capacity and drive forward decarbonisation.
Its plans include new solar, wind and battery infrastructure, green hydrogen facilities and undertaking the mammoth task of upgrading parts of the country’s energy network to accommodate the expected rapid increase in demand for electricity.
The posts, which range from renewables to networks; procurement and IT, vary from graduate apprenticeships to pre-apprenticeship programmes for school leavers as well as opportunities for those looking to retrain from other industries.
They include:
· Graduates across Engineering, Procurement & IT
· Apprenticeships across Craft & Project Management
· Trainees programmes for Adult Craft & Engineers
· Graduate Apprenticeships
COP26 President Designate Alok Sharma said:“Growing our economy while becoming greener provides fantastic opportunities and I am pleased to see ScottishPower, a Principal Partner of COP26, will be adding so many new green jobs to its current workforce.
“As we move towards our net zero 2050 target, it shows we don’t need to choose between cleaning up our environment and growing our economy. I look forward to continuing to work with ScottishPower and others as we move towards COP26.”
Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of ScottishPower, said:“Roles like these will sit at the very heart of delivering the UK’s net zero ambition as well as the wider green economic recovery. With COP26 coming to the UK this year, there couldn’t be a better time to join us and be part of the green industrial revolution.
“Increasingly people want to work for an organisation that shares their values and strives towards a clear and common purpose they can get behind. Everything we do at ScottishPower is about helping tackle the climate emergency and build a better future, quicker for everyone. It’s a big challenge, but it also makes ScottishPower a hugely inspiring place to work with opportunities to innovate and challenge yourself at every turn.”
Sheila Duncan, ScottishPower HR Director, added:“There are so many opportunities within an energy company that people might not think of, from project managers to quantity surveyors.
“They all share one thing in common, and that’s helping us play our part in decarbonising the UK’s energy. Whether someone is starting out on their career or looking to retrain from elsewhere, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.”
ScottishPower is one of the largest employers in Scotland and currently has around 5,500 staff at sites across the UK, including 1650 at its Glasgow-based HQ. is the first integrated energy company in the UK to switch to 100% clean energy generation and produces all its electricity from offshore and onshore wind.
Earlier this year, ScottishPower signed up to the new Young Person’s Guarantee and committed to furthering opportunities for young people and those from disadvantaged backgrounds around the UK. This includes grassroots pre-employment schemes in local communities for young people in and around Glasgow.
It is a Principal Partner for the COP26 conference and is developing an energy model that will play a significant role in reaching the UK’s world-leading climate change targets.
ALDI RECRUITING 20 COLLEAGUES IN THE EDINBURGH AREA
Aldi, the UK’s 5th largest supermarket, is recruiting new colleagues to work in its Dalkeith and Hermiston Gate stores opening in September 2021, as a result of its continued popularity and growth across Scotland.
In a welcome boost to the Scottish economy, and to support its expansion in the area, Aldi is looking for 20 Store Assistants across Edinburgh, with training for the role starting in June.
Aldi is a multi-award-winning employer that offers one of the best working environments and competitive benefits packages in the UK supermarket sector, with the majority of Aldi colleagues now receiving a minimum rate of £9.55 per hour, rising to £10.57.
Aldi also creates opportunities for colleagues to develop and progress and has flexible contracts available, as well as healthcare and lifestyle perks for all.
Here, Aldi colleagues give insider tips on how to land a role with the supermarket:
Visit the store before your interview
Deputy Store Manager, Jim Sandhu says: “I’d suggest visiting your local store to watch the team and its daily running. This type of exercise can help candidates demonstrate their knowledge of the store, and display a sound understanding of how it operates. When applying for my role, I had a chat with the Store Manager, who kindly gave me some of their time. This put me in a very strong position in the interview as I was able to speak knowledgeably about how a store operates and identify some of the main challenges a Deputy Store Manager would face.”
Do some desk research
Kelly Stokes, Recruitment Director at Aldi, says: “We always want to see that applicants have done their homework, as that shows how invested an individual is in joining the business. We are currently in an ambitious growth period and are constantly on the lookout for people who are hungry to learn more about us and our ways of working. Candidates who put extra effort in when doing their research put themselves in a great position to start their application and their new career with Aldi.”
Show enthusiasm
Store Manager, Jade Shallow says: “You have to display a willingness to work hard, to be passionate and to be committed to the role. If you can clearly showcase those three areas, then you’re not only going to show that you want to give your best at Aldi, but you’ll also be in a strong position to get noticed by the hiring manager in the first place.”
About the roles available:
Job title: Store Assistant
Salary: £9.55 per hour rising to £10.57
Job description: Hardworking and enthusiastic candidates are being targeted for Aldi’s Store Assistant positions, carrying out responsibilities such as accurate and efficient till operation, stock management and merchandising.
Full training will be provided for Store Assistants over a six-week period and roles are available from 15 to 30 hours a week, with a realistic prospect of progression.
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director at Aldi, said: “We are really excited about the vacancies that have arisen across the Edinburgh area, as Aldi’s increased popularity and customer demand for quality products has allowed us to continue with our ambitious growth plan, and create further employment opportunities across Scotland.”
“Working at Aldi means more than just having a job; we really care about our colleagues, both personally and professionally. On top of our fantastic benefits, such as the competitive pay and benefits package, Aldi continues to offer a great working environment and real opportunities to progress within the business.
“We take immense pride in supporting the career development of all our colleagues and invest time and resource in them, in order to keep everyone motivated, fully engaged, continuously challenged and importantly, happy.”
Applications and more information on all of Aldi’s store positions can be found on Aldi’s recruitment website: www.aldirecruitment.co.uk/stores.
Politicians urged to support investment to create over 13,000 green jobs
Local campaigners have urged all Edinburgh and Lothians candidates in the upcoming Scottish Parliament election to support much needed investment in key sectors to create green jobs as part of our economic recovery all while cutting our climate emissions.
New research shows that over 13,000 jobs could be created in Edinburgh across green infrastructure and care work in just two years.
The call comes after new research from Green New Deal UK revealed at least 130,000 green jobs can be created across Scotland. Campaigners highlight how this will help us deal with the current job insecurity many citizens face, but only if the government invests in key areas including care work and renewable energy.
The analysis maps out the huge jobs potential in sectors like solar energy, offshore wind, social care and energy efficiency – all of which are essential to Scotland meeting its national and international climate targets.
The data, compiled by Green New Deal UK, shows:
· 130,000 jobs could be created across Scotland in the next two years.
· 60,000 jobs could be created in care work, looking after people in our communities.
· 62,000 jobs could be created in building the green infrastructure needed to reduce climate emissions, including in renewable energy, construction and transport.
Laurie Dewar, a Green New Deal organiser in Edinburgh, said: “Our research shows that you can reduce unemployment and create jobs whilst tackling climate change at the same time. Politicians have the power capitalise on this opportunity and help their constituents.
“As a young person I know that now is the time in which my future is decided, and I want a world in which my decisions will not be dictated by ecological chaos.
“Considering the irrevocable damage climate change will do to the places we live and love, the global health and humanitarian crises it will spark, and the working solutions that we know can be adopted, we must come to a consensus to act.
“I see real power in our collective desire to live in a safer world and a key example is the public’s display of solidarity and connection throughout the pandemic. Walking down the streets now it is still easy to find rainbows lining the windows one year on: a symbol of our desire to create brightness in the dark. We can do that here as well. Out of the ashes of these twin issues can we form a better society.”
Ryan Morrison, Just Transition Campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, commented: “The next Scottish Parliament must put people and climate action at the heart of decisions they make about the economy.
“Thousands of green jobs can be created by making bus travel free for everyone, scaling up renewable energy whilst ensuring that people in Scotland are reaping the benefits, and planning for a fair transition away from fossil fuels.
“We also need to broaden our understanding of what makes a job green. A truly green economy will see a myriad of retrofitters, carers, bike couriers and teachers, up and down the country, all working towards transforming our economy.
“There are opportunities in every part of Scotland that can support our recovery from the pandemic while tackling our emissions in tandem. It is imperative that new MSPs are focused on turning the potential opportunity shown in this research into quality jobs on the ground.”
Campaigners highlight how almost one in five children in Edinburgh live in poverty – most to adults in paid employment – showing the clear need more good jobs. In a world facing a climate crisis any good job must be green and sustainable, but they can also help revitalise our capital and create a society to be proud of.
Nine out of 63 cities and large towns have recovered to their pre-pandemic level of job postings, with the North and Midlands outperforming the South and South East
Barnsley, Mansfield and Stoke recorded strongest job posting recovery to date; Aberdeen, Belfast and Crawley experienced the weakest
Areas with high claimant counts and slow recovery in job opportunities in greatest need of policy support, according to new research by global job site Indeed and the Centre for Cities
Britain’s resurgent jobs market is being led by cities and towns in the North and Midlands, according to new research by global job site Indeed and the Centre for Cities think tank.
Hiring gathered pace after the UK Government’s reopening roadmap was announced on 22 February but new analysis shows job growth is unevenly spread across the country.
Indeed and the Centre for Cities analysed job vacancies in 63 cities and large towns and found that in some parts of the country job postings now exceed their pre-pandemic level with those in the North and Midlands having so far witnessed the strongest recovery in job postings.
In total, nine cities or towns – led byBarnsley (+21%), Mansfield (20%) and Stoke (17%) – now have more job postings than before the pandemic started.
In contrast, Aberdeen (-53%), Belfast (-39%) and Crawley (-39%) are the three places where job postings have recovered the least, together with other cities and large towns predominantly in the South East of England.
London too is among the places with the slowest recovery: job postings in the capital are still 26% below their level before the pandemic, making it the 11th city with the slowest recovery.
Pace of job posting recovery varies
The improving jobs landscape in the North and Midlands is partly driven by the mix of available jobs.
Recoveries have been strongest in areas with a greater pre-pandemic share of postings in occupations related to the production and distribution of goods, such as manufacturing, driving and loading & stocking, as well as essential services like healthcare, social care and education.
On the other hand, places with a higher share of pre-pandemic job opportunities in food & beverage service and hospitality & tourism are lagging behind.
Production and distribution hubs lead job postings recovery
New analysis of claimant counts and job vacancies points to which jobs markets were hardest hit by Covid-19 and might take longest to return to their February 2020 level.
Places with high claimant count and low job postings include Brighton, Crawley, Slough as well as London in the south and Blackpool and Manchester in the north. These cities and large towns — which have a dependency on tourism and bustling workplaces — are the hardest hit by the pandemic as recruitment activity is lagging and more people are looking for jobs.
In contrast, places with low claimant count rates and whose job postings have mostly recovered to their pre-pandemic level – such as Mansfield, Swansea and Warrington – appeared to have been relatively sheltered from the economic impact of Covid-19.
Pawel Adrjan, head of EMEA research at the global job site Indeed, comments:“As hiring activity picks up across the country it’s clear there is a two-step jobs recovery underway in Britain.
“Cities and towns in the North and Midlands that have been buoyed by rising manufacturing, distribution, healthcare and education jobs but at the same time areas reliant on hospitality, tourism and higher paying jobs that can be performed from home have seen only sluggish growth.
“Just nine urban areas out of 63 have back above their pre-pandemic level and while the partial reopening of the economy earlier this month rode to the rescue of many businesses and workers our research shows that it alone was not enough to lift ailing area’s jobs levels significantly.
“We’ve seen how quickly the jobs market reacts to policy and public health announcements and policy makers will hope the eventual unwinding of Covid-19 restrictions will help level up the jobs recovery.”
Elena Magrini, senior analyst at the Centre for Cities, said:“Not everywhere is seeing yet the beginnings of post-pandemic recovery. Places reliant on tourism, aviation and office workers have been particularly hard hit and still have high shares of people who are unemployed or on furlough.
“Despite this, we have reasons to be optimistic, particularly given the pace of the recovery in the North and Midlands. Once we have reopened the economy, policy makers need to focus on building back better – growing the economy by creating better paid, higher skilled jobs for people right across the country.”
The latest jobs indicator released by Internet Association shows a large increase in the number of full time and part time job postings online as the UK economy continues its recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic.
The new data shows that over 250,000 full-time jobs were posted online in March 2021 – a 112 percent increase on March 2020. That figure also represents a 21 percent increase since February 2021, following a 5.9 percent rise since January 2021 – pointing to accelerating growth in the full-time jobs market.
There is also encouraging news for part-time work revealed by the new data. While January 2021 saw a 10 percent decrease in part-time online job postings, February 2021 saw a 12.2 percent increase, and March 2021 saw a 4 percent increase.
The positive increase points to the likely preparation ahead of the recent reopening of non-essential retail, hospitality and other sectors that are reliant on part-time work.
Key findings from IA’s ‘Industry Indicators: Jobs (3i Jobs) Q1 2021 Report’:
The number of full time jobs being posted online are at their highest for over a year. And despite the sharp fall during the height of the pandemic, the number of postings online in March 2021 is 112 percent higher than March 2020.
The part-time job market is beginning to recover – albeit slower than the full-time market. March 2021 saw a 4 percent increase in online job postings, following a 12.2 percent increase in February 2021. The number of jobs posted in March 2021 also represents a 37 percent increase on March 2020.
A fifth of UK adults (21 percent) now use the internet to earn money online – with the most common amounts being around £10-20 per month, through to over £100 a month. This rate has remained stable throughout the year, suggesting that people are beginning to use the increased flexibility of home working to earn additional income online.
The top postings for full time positions in March 2021 were Sales Assistant, Retail Sales Associates and Client Advisors. The top postings for part time positions were Crew Members, Cashiers and Sales Advisors – again pointing to the big employment boost expected from the reopening of retail last week.
The new data, part of IA’s ‘3i Report’ series, presents monthly insights on the UK job market using data from national and internet-based resources.
The report tracks month to month trends in the online job market and presents unique information on hiring, openings and an online income tracker that identifies the amount of additional income being made by people online through, for example, selling products on platforms like Etsy or Ebay.
The tracker shows that over a fifth of UK adults are using the internet to earn money online, with 9 percent of those earning more than £100 a month online.
The report also highlights how the internet is a vital tool to help people find work and create income in a variety of ways – with the latest update a cause for optimism for the UK full-time and part time jobs market.
It shows rapid growth in online job postings after a difficult period during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and a stabilising rate of people earning money online.
