employment – Page 3 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Disabled Employment in Scotland

FRASER OF ALLANDER INSTITUTE PUBLISHES INITIAL FINDINGS

Disabled adults are significantly less likely to be in work compared to adults without disabilities (write ALLISON CATALANO and CHIRSTY McFADYEN).

In Scotland, 81% of working aged adults without disabilities had jobs in 2021, compared to just under 50% of adults with disabilities. This discrepancy of 31 percentage points – called the “disability employment gap” – is larger in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK (Chart 1).

Scotland has a goal of reducing the disability employment gap by half between 2016 and 2038. The 2021 numbers, encouragingly, show an improvement of 6 percentage points. A higher proportion of disabled people moved into work in Scotland between 2014 and 2021 compared to the UK as a whole, as well.

Chart 1: Gap in employment between people with and without disabilities in Scotland and in the UK, 2014-21

Source: Annual Population Survey, 2014-2021

In 2023, the DWP published a report on the employment of disabled people in the UK. This report looked at the reason why employment among people with disabilities has increased, while employment for the rest of the population has stayed roughly the same.

The DWP report highlighted four reasons behind the growth in the number of disabled people in employment:

Disability prevalence has increased in the UK, and the most common types of disabilities have changed.
The non-disabled employment rate has increased, implying that more jobs are available to both groups.
The disability employment gap has been narrowing overall.
There are more individuals in the working-age population.

The level of detail provided in the DWP report for the UK is difficult to replicate for Scotland with publicly available data: smaller sample sizes north of the border mean that more restrictions are placed on the data available to ensure that appropriate care has been taken with interpreting the robustness of results.

The Fraser of Allander Institute, in collaboration with the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) are undertaking work to understand whether the same factors are driving changes in Scotland, and if not, what is different here and why.

This work is ongoing and future articles will get into more of the detail. This article sets the scene about the scale of the issue in Scotland vs the UK based on what know from data currently available.

What’s the state of disability employment in Scotland?

Scotland has a higher proportion of working-aged disabled people compared to the UK. It also has a lower rate of employment among disabled people, and a larger gap in employment between people with and without disabilities. Employment rates are noticeably different for different types of disabilities in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK, and disabled peoples are less likely to have educational qualifications in Scotland.

How is disability defined?

The current definition used in UK (and Scottish) surveys comes from the Government Statistical Service and the 2010 Equality Act. This change affected data collection from mid-2013 onwards, meaning that it’s not possible to compare current data to data before 2013. Our analysis specifically looks at the data since 2014 as a result.

This definition covers people who report “current physical or mental health conditions of illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more; and that these conditions or illnesses reduce their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.” Previously, the definition was based on the Disability Discrimination Act (2005) (DDA), which applied to “all people with a long term health problem or disability that limits their day-to-day activities.” The slight difference in these terms means that some people may qualify as DDA disabled but not as Equality Act disabled.

Scotland has consistently had a higher proportion of working-aged disabled people.

In 2014, around 18% of the Scottish working-age population were classified as Equality Act disabled.

Since 2014, the number of disabled working-age adults has grown by around 222,000 people, making up over 24% of the working-age population as of 2021. By comparison, the total size of the working-age population only grew by around 31,000 people over the same time period. had a higher proportion of disabled adults in 2014 than the UK average, and this gap has widened over time. The 2021 data shows a further significant divergence, but this may be due to particular issues related to the pandemic and may not persist (Chart 2).

Chart 2: The size of the Scottish population with and without disabilities, and the proportion of the population with disabilities from 2014-21.

Scotland has a higher disability gap and a lower rate of employment among disabled people.

Employment rates for working-aged people without disabilities in Scotland is roughly the same as in the rest of the UK. Employment rates for disabled people is much lower, however.

Since 2014, disabled people have moved into work faster in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK. The employment gap fell by around 6.5 percentage points between 2014 and 2021 in Scotland, compared to a fall of around 4.5 percentage points for the entire UK (Chart 3).

Chart 3: Proportion of adults between 16-64 that are in work by disability status, Scotland and the UK, 2014-21

Scotland has different employment rates for people with different types of disabilities.

Unsurprisingly, Scotland has lower employment rates than the UK as a whole for the vast majority of types of disability.

The largest differences in employment rates are for people with diabetes, chest or breathing problems, and difficulty with seeing, hearing, or speech. Scotland fares better in the employment of people with stomach, liver, kidney and digestion problems, for instance, and slightly better for people with autism.[1]

Chart 4: Proportion of the working-age population with disabilities by working status and type of disability, 2022

Source: Annual Population Survey, 2014-2021. * Estimates are based on a small sample size and may not be precise.

Disabled people have lower qualification levels in Scotland.

Disabled people are more likely to have no qualifications than those without disabilities, both in Scotland and the UK. Scottish adults are also more likely to have no qualifications compared to the rest of the UK, although the gap in qualifications for disabled people is larger for Scotland than for the rest of the country (Chart 4).

The proportion of people with no qualifications has been falling in recent years. This may be due to older people, on average, being less likely to have formal qualifications, and as they move to retirement age, the number of working age people without qualifications goes down.

For disabled people, it may also be true that the increase in the number of disabled people have changed the make-up of the disabled population, especially for people who are becoming disabled later in life (for example, due to mental health issues that present post-education).

Chart 5: Proportion of working-age adults with no qualifications by disability status, Scotland & rUK, 2014-21

Where are there gaps in our knowledge?

As discussed at the start, publicly available data on disability types is severely limited. For example, survey data in Scotland has detailed disaggregation on different types of disability, but only publicly provides information on whether or not someone qualifies as disabled under the 2010 Equality Act definition. The Scottish Government has been making strides to improve this data, however – a 2022 publication analyses disability employment by type of disability, but only examines one year.

One particular issue that we have found is for people who have a learning disability where the data is extremely poor. We will be publishing a new article later this week that sets out some of the particular issues for people with a learning disability.

Our next phase of research will look into more of the detail around employment levels for people in Scotland living with different disabilities based on access to non-public secure data held by the ONS. There may still be limits on the data we are able to use (for example, where robustness thresholds set by the ONS are not met), but we hope we will be able to add to the evidence base here in Scotland and provide better insights for policy makers and stakeholders on where support needs to be focussed.

£12.4 million to help change choices about work

£12.4 million awarded to six innovative new projects to understand barriers to getting into work.
Projects include investigating the impact of endometriosis on women’s work choices and how programmes to reduce obesity and type 2 diabetes can improve workforce participation.
Funding will help overcome barriers facing those who need the most support getting into work

Six ground-breaking projects including an investigation looking at how endometriosis impacts women in the workplace have been awarded £12.4 million, the UK Government has announced today (Tuesday 12 September).

The projects comprise the first round of the Labour Market Evaluation and Pilots Fund, and take place over the next two years. The results will help to transform the government’s approach to the jobs market and drive forward research into best practice in employment.

While the UK’s employment rate is higher than a number of other advanced economies, the government is committed to ensure that those who most need help getting into the workplace are supported.

The Chancellor announced a range of interventions to address this at Spring Budget 2023 – including a significant expansion of childcare support, making 30 hours of free childcare a week available to parents from children aged 9 months.

The Labour Market Evaluation and Pilots Fund is part of that and will be used to test new approaches and generate better evidence to help specific groups back into work or to work longer hours.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Victoria Atkins, said: “Our jobs record is incredibly strong, with high employment that means millions of people are benefiting from work. But for some, that’s not happening.

“We need to look for solutions that are tailored to help people thrive in the jobs market. This analysis is the first step towards that – looking at specific health conditions or living arrangements to find out what works to help people work.”

Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression Mims Davies MP said: “The vital opportunities and confidence employment gives, helps to transform lives. This is why we are determined to support all those who want to progress to do so, while also driving down inactivity and importantly growing the economy.

“This key new funding for our pilots will enable us to support even more people to move forward in work, including vitally those in supported accommodation and more disadvantaged communities, to help people to break down any barriers to work, so more people can fulfil their employment potential.”

National Statistician, Sir Ian Diamond, said: “The ONS welcomes the opportunity to shine light on this important area with these projects.

“This new analysis will provide crucial insight for decision makers in helping to understand how health conditions impact on people’s working lives and what interventions can help people stay in work.”

One of the projects includes a first-of-its-kind Office for National Statistics (ONS) evaluation which will investigate the impact of endometriosis on women’s participation and progression in the workforce.

Endometriosis can affect around 1 in 10 women, with symptoms including chronic pain and fatigue which can disrupt daily routines, fertility and mental health and time off work may be needed for coping with symptoms.

Previous work has shown that women with the condition often take this into consideration when making career choices, including the likelihood they will need to take significantly more sick leave. This project will improve understanding and help inform government plans to support women with the condition in their careers.

A second project by the ONS will evaluate whether programmes to reduce the risk of developing type two diabetes and obesity improve people’s ability to join the labour market.

Around 3.8 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes and 2.4 million are at high risk of developing the disease which can have a strong effect on quality of life, including the ability to work. The evaluation will include reviewing the impact of the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP), a large scale nine-month, evidence-based lifestyle change programme aimed at people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

There will also be a new pilot to address barriers to work faced by those aged 18-24 living in supported housing, which is accommodation provided alongside care, support or supervision to help people live as independently as possible in the community and can act as a pathway to transitioning into work.

To support young people in making that transition, DWP and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) have developed a Proof of Concept that will test financial support and simplification of the benefits system for 18-24 year olds living in supported housing who move into work or increase their working hours.

This will help them to build their employment prospects further, work towards becoming financially independent and progress into move on accommodation in a planned way.

Funding will also be allocated to two HMRC projects to evaluate the impact of Tax-Free Childcare on parents’ work choices and women’s return to work after maternity leave. In addition, funding will be provided to DWP to trial employment support and rent incentives to move people out of work or on low earnings into work or onto higher earnings.

Warm welcome for Edinburgh’s Project SEARCH interns

A supported internship programme for young people with a disability has welcomed 21 recruits.

Each young person will spend the next nine months gaining work experience within the council or with one of the city’s Project SEARCH partners, which includes NHS Lothian and Virgin Hotels.

Edinburgh Project SEARCH is a programme where young people with a disability, aged between 16 to 29 years, are given the opportunity to complete three 10-week work experience placements across the academic year while also studying for a qualification with Edinburgh College. The programme, which is now in its ninth year, aims to prepare young people to move into mainstream employment upon completion.

Tom Randall joined the council as part of Project SEARCH and has recently gone on to secure a position within the council’s facilities management team. He said: “I have come; I really feel I can do the job for the Facilities Management team now and Edinburgh Project SEARCH has helped me to do this.

“Now that I have this job I am really looking forward to feeling like I am a real part of the team and doing a good job with all the tasks. With my first wages I am planning to get a big takeaway!”

Most recent figures show that just 4.1% of young adults with a learning disability and/or autism in Scotland enter secure paid employment following education, compared to 80% of their peers.

Supported internships – work-based study programmes for 16 to 29-year-olds with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) – dramatically change the employment outcomes for those who take part.

DFN Project SEARCH figures show that 70% of people who complete their supported internships achieve this and successfully remain in employment.*

Hannah Goodall participated in Project SEARCH and now has a job in the City Chambers. She said: “I was an Edinburgh Project SEARCH intern on the 2022/23 programme. Project SEARCH helped me with my confidence and helped me to prepare and successfully apply for a job with the City of Edinburgh Council.

“I work at the City Chambers in the licencing department. My job title is licensing support assistant. All my colleagues are friendly and supporting. I like knowing that every month money is coming into my account, and I can choose when to take my holidays. I like being independent when I go out to work every day and maybe one day I’ll be able to move out and live independently.

Connor McDermid, another Project SEARCH alumni who enjoyed a placement with Virgin Hotels, has also secured a job since his internship. He said: “Edinburgh Project SEARCH really helped me develop my confidence.

“My work experience placement with Virgin Hotels Edinburgh helped me further develop my customer service skills too. These gave me the motivation to apply for a role as a concierge in the hotel – a job I was successful getting!

“This was all made possible with the support of my workplace buddies and the ‘People Team’ in the Virgin Hotels Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Project SEARCH team.”

Edinburgh’s new starts were welcomed by Council Leader Cammy Day, Planning Convener James Dalgleish and Chief Executive Andrew Kerr at a special induction ceremony.

Celebrating the start of the new Project SEARCH term, Council Leader Cammy Day said: “One of our biggest priorities in the aftermath of the pandemic has been to improve opportunities and outcomes for our young people, including those with complex needs.

“I’m proud of the inspiring and talented group of graduates we’ve nurtured to date and excited for the 21 new recruits. Such internships give these special young people the same opportunities as their peers and space to shine.

“Since 2014 Project SEARCH has been about teaching skills to be an employee as well as learning and a number of graduates have gone on to succeed in getting jobs in the council, which is fantastic! The placements can unlock confidence, build CV skills and be the difference between someone choosing to enter the workforce or feeling unable to.”

Oxfam: Almost two-thirds of women’s working hours excluded from GDP

A staggering sixty-five per cent of women’s working hours are unpaid every week and excluded from official measures of economic activity, according to a new Oxfam report.

Radical Pathways Beyond GDP highlights how unpaid care – which accounts for forty-five per cent of all adults’ working hours each week globally – is excluded from gross domestic product (GDP) calculations.

The discussion paper looks at how the over-reliance on GDP warps governments’ priorities. Women carry out the majority of unpaid care – nearly 90 billion hours a week.

There is a growing consensus among policymakers and institutions that GDP is no longer fit for purpose as the primary indicator of economic and social progress.

By excluding many factors that contribute to the overall health of the economy and wider society, the metric steers policymakers towards priorities that are fuelling inequality, gender and racial injustice and climate breakdown.

The report argues that transformative alternatives to GDP are urgently required and that narrowly defined growth should never be a primary objective or end goal.

The report cites a handful of countries which have made efforts to incorporate alternative approaches into the highest levels of national law and policy, including Scotland.

But while the Scottish Government describes the transition towards a wellbeing economy as a “top priority”, Scotland’s journey beyond-GDP remains far from complete.

Anam Parvez, Oxfam head of research and author of the report, said: “Women are being short-changed the world over, pushed deeper into time and income poverty.

“To add insult to injury, the majority of their work is ignored by official statistics.

“Unpaid care is a hidden subsidy to the global economy; without it the system would collapse.

“In an age of climate crisis, growing inequality and economic turmoil, there is a strong case that this outdated metric should no longer be the dominant compass guiding policy making.

“It fails to distinguish whether economic activity is harming or benefitting people and the planet.

“Government policies and budgets should be guided by a set of metrics that look at the whole picture, including closing the divide between the richest and the rest, instead of relentlessly pursuing growth for its own sake.”

Scotland’s drive towards becoming a wellbeing economy is underpinned by its National Performance Framework and the eleven National Outcomes which sit within it, as well as by the linked Wellbeing Economy Monitor.

However, care work is currently invisible within these, despite the Scottish Government saying the National Outcomes describe “the kind of Scotland it aims to create”.

Encouragingly, Scottish Ministers are in the process of reviewing and refreshing the National Outcomes for the first time in five years.

Campaigners, including Oxfam Scotland, are calling for the glaring omission on care to be addressed through the creation of a dedicated new National Outcome on Care.

The A Scotland That Cares campaign is backed by over 60 organisations, including frontline care and health organisations, those representing unpaid carers and parents, and prominent anti-poverty charities and think tanks.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government accepts that traditional economic metrics like GDP are inadequate and that women’s contribution to the economy is persistently undervalued.

“But while it talks a good game when it comes to measuring the things that really matter, now is the time for that rhetoric to be realised.

“Without carers, Scotland’s communities and economy would grind to a halt yet they are virtually invisible in the Scottish Government’s vision for the country. Now is the time to right that wrong by ending the invisibility of care in Scotland’s wellbeing framework.

“Ministers must capitalise on the opportunities presented by the refresh of its National Performance Framework and through the upcoming Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill to commit to, and then build, a truly caring wellbeing economy that puts people and planet above a blinkered pursuit of profit.”

Aldi recruiting in Edinburgh

Aldi is currently looking to recruit over 20 new store colleagues across Edinburgh.

In a welcome boost to the local economy, the UK’s fourth largest supermarket is looking for people of all levels of experience to fill roles at its stores across the region including Hermiston Gate, Gilmerton Road, Oxgangs, Commercial Street, and Portobello.

This includes both full-time and part-time positions including Store Management Apprentice, Stock Assistant, and Store Assistant, all the way up to Deputy Managers.

The recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion drive, with the supermarket set to open an average of one new store a week across the UK between now and Christmas.

Kelly Stokes, Recruitment Director at Aldi UK, said: “As we continue to invest in new stores, we’re looking for more colleagues to join our incredible teams across Edinburgh.

“Working at Aldi means a great working environment and real opportunities to progress within the business and we look forward to welcoming even more people to be a part of our success in the future.”

Starting pay for Store Assistants at Aldi is £11.40 per hour with the supermarket also paying for breaks.

Those interested in applying for jobs can visit www.aldirecruitment.co.uk.

Final spaces remain on free job skills training course at Fort Kinnaird

A free skills training session to help people take their first step on the career ladder is being hosted at Fort Kinnaird in collaboration with Capital City Partnership (CCP) next week.

Delivered by the Focus on Recruitment and Training (FORTY) scheme, which is based at the centre, the one-week course on retail and customer service skills will give participants an SQA accredited Customer Service qualification, as well as support with CV building, job applications and interview tips, and an opportunity to be interviewed by a recruiting Fort Kinnaird retailer.

The course is open to anyone aged between 16 and 24, will run from 31st of July – 4th of August.

To help local people build their confidence in applying for retail job vacancies, participants will also have the opportunity to hear from Fort Kinnaird employees about their career journeys to date, alongside getting their advice on applying for retail or hospitality jobs.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We know how difficult applying for a job can be, so we want to help people in our community take the first step – whether it’s moving into employment for the first time or a jump between careers.

“FORTY provides a fantastic opportunity for individuals to seek advice, learn more about the retail industry and gain new qualifications.”

FORTY is funded by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and in-kind support from the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

To register or to find out more information about the course, please contact Maria at: maria.banaszkiewicz@capitalcitypartnership.org or call 07856089669.

More information on FORTY and upcoming skills training opportunities can be found here: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/whatson

Fort Kinnaird is open from 9am – 9pm on weekdays, and 9am – 6pm on weekends.

Burnt Out Britain?

NEW polling reveals 1 in 2 workers feel that work is getting more intense and demanding

“Gruelling” work intensity is a growing problem in “burnt out Britain”, with workers reporting that they are working harder and longer now compared to previous years, the TUC has warned.

The TUC says increasing work intensity means workers are having to pack more work into working hours – with work often spilling over into their private lives.

The warning comes as the union body releases new polling, conducted by Thinks Insight (formerly Britain Thinks) which reveals:

More than 1 in 2 (55%) workers feel that work is getting more intense and demanding.
And 3 in 5 (61%) workers say they feel exhausted at the end of most working days.

The polling also reveals workers feel the situation is getting worse. Compared to the previous year (2021):

More than a third of workers (36%) are spending more time outside of contracted hours reading, sending and answering emails.
1 in 3 (32%) are spending more time outside of contracted hours doing core work activities.
4 in 10 (40%) say they have been required do more work in the same amount of time
4 in 10 (38%) say they are feeling more stressed at work

The TUC says women face greater work intensity than men.

The polling shows that compared to men, women are more likely to say they feel exhausted at the end of most working days (67% to 56%) and that work is getting more intense (58% to 53%).

Women are overrepresented in sectors such as education and health and social care. These are sectors where staff shortages and other factors, such as burdensome scrutiny and long working hours, have led to increased work intensification.

And women continue to shoulder most of the caring responsibilities at home, which can further add to time-pressures on them.

Burnt-out Britain

Recent TUC analysis revealed UK employers claimed £26 billion of free labour last year because of workers doing unpaid overtime.

3.5 million people did unpaid overtime in 2022, putting in an average of 7.4 unpaid hours a week.

As well as being detrimental to family life, long term-ill health conditions caused by overwork include hypertension and cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, and long-term effects on the immune system, increasing risk of causing autoimmune disease diagnoses.

When workers are tired, or under excessive pressure, they are also more likely to suffer injury, or be involved in an accident.

Perfect storm

The TUC says there are several factors are combining to create a “perfect storm” for work intensity. This includes:

Surveillance technology and algorithmic management: Algorithmically set productivity targets can be unrealistic and unsustainable – forcing people to work at high speed. Algorithmic management can also force workers to work faster through constant monitoring, including monitoring the actions they perform and their productivity.
Staff shortages: Low pay, excessive workloads and a lack of good flexible work are key drivers of the staffing crisis. Staff shortages put huge strain on those who remain as they try to plug the gaps, fuelling excessive workloads and long-working hours. This undermines the quality of our public services, and leads to high attrition and absenteeism rates, worsening the workload crisis.
Inadequate enforcement of working time regulations: The working time regulations contain important rights for workers which could help safeguard against work intensification and the consequential health and safety risks, but enforcement of these rights is inadequate. This is in part down to lack of resources for enforcement agencies. The Health and Safety Executive, which is responsible for enforcement of the maximum weekly working time limits, night work limits and health assessments for night work, has had its budget slashed in half over the past decade.
Decline in collective bargaining: Industrial changes have combined with anti-union legislation to make it much harder for people to come together in trade unions to speak up together at work. This decline in collective bargaining coverage has led to less union negotiation around work organisation, resulting in work intensification.

Ministers are currently looking to water down rules on how working time is recorded by employers in the UK, which they could impose using powers in the controversial REUL (Retained EU Law) Act.

This could significantly weaken our already-inadequate enforcement system even further, making it more difficult for labour market inspectors to prove non-compliance.

Action needed

The TUC says ministers must take urgent action to tackle burnt out Britain, including:

Introduce a new right to disconnect to ensure workers get a proper rest break away from work and make sure that work doesn’t encroach upon a worker’s home life.
Strengthen enforcement of working time regulations – that means funding the HSE properly and ditching proposed changes to how working time is recorded.
Fix the public sector recruitment and retention crisis, bringing down excessive workloads and dangerously unsafe staffing levels, delivering year-on-year fully-funded pay rises and making improvements to working conditions.
Make flexible working a genuine legal right from the first day in a job. People should have the right to work flexibly from day one, unless the employer can properly justify why this is not possible. Workers should have the right to appeal any rejections. And there shouldn’t be a limit on how many times you can ask for flexible working arrangements in a year.
Promote collective bargaining to make it easier for unions to speak withand represent workers – including broadening the scope of collective bargaining rights to include work organisation, the introduction of new technologies, and the nature and level of staffing.
Introduce to statutory duty to consult trade unions before an employer introduces the use of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making systems. This would ensure that both the employer and worker can benefit from the introduction of new technologies and that productivity gains lead to decent pay rises for workers.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “No one should be pushed to the brink because of their job.

“Gruelling hours, pace and expectations at work are growing problems up and down the country. This is a recipe for burnt out Britain.

“Chronic staff shortages, intrusive surveillance tech and poor enforcement of workers’ rights have all combined to create a perfect storm.

“It’s little wonder that so many feel exhausted at the end of their working day.

“It’s time to tackle ever-increasing work-intensity. That means strengthening enforcement so that workers can effectively exercise their rights.

“It means introducing a right to disconnect to let workers properly switch off outside of working hours.

“And it means making sure workers and unions are properly consulted on the use of AI and surveillance tech, and ensuring they are protected from punishing ways of working.”

On public sector overtime and the recruitment crisis, Paul added: “Public sector workers can’t keep going on gratitude alone. Staff are getting burnt out and leaving public services in droves.

“It’s time ministers got serious about fixing the recruitment crisis blighting our NHS, our schools and our public services.”

The Botanist: Opening date announced

MORE THAN FIFTY JOBS CREATED

The countdown is on for acclaimed bar-and-restaurant The Botanist to open its doors at St. James Quarter in Edinburgh.

Cocktail lovers will be able to get their hands on the venue’s famous innovative drinks from Monday 7^th August, when the venue is set to welcome in guests for the first time.

The brand is looking for a full team to run operations at its new venue, with 50-60 roles available including both front and back of house staff, from Chefs to Servers to Bartenders, and encourages creativity, individuality and personal flair from its employees. Roles are also advertised for a Duty Manager and Sous Chef to join the growing team.  

Edinburgh’s winers and diners can look forward to The Botanist’s fresh seasonal flavours, reviving botany-inspired cocktails and signature hanging kebabs that they’ll want to keep going back for.

Live music is another key ingredient in helping to create a relaxed and atmospheric experience-led social space, ideal for family meals, after-work drinks, sophisticated evenings with friends and celebrating special occasions.

The interior fit-out of the space is currently underway and the brand is renowned for its grand botanical-inspired interiors.

Guests can expect to enjoy beautiful installations of greenery and exposed brick walls adorned with impressive hand painted artwork whilst they drink and dine. The bar will also feature a dedicated outdoor seating terrace.  

Rachel Guy, Operations Manager at New World Trading Company said, “Our stunning new flagship venue brings the opportunity for exceptional individuals join us. Joining the business at the start of our journey means you’ll be bringing our unique brand to life in Edinburgh with the help of award-winning training.   

“Our in-house Management Academy & Future Managers programme offers transparent career pathways and the chance to progress across our nationwide brand family.” 

To find out more about the opportunities available and apply, visit https://thebotanist.uk.com/edinburgh-roles.  

To stay up to date with The Botanist Edinburgh’s opening and be the first to know about, sign up to its newsletter to be the first to know about exclusive invites and offers for the opening week.

Tata Group to invest over £4 bn in UK gigafactory creating thousands of jobs

Tata Group announces new multibillion-pound electric car battery factory to be built in the UK – one of the largest ever investments in the UK automotive sector.
Investment will create up to 4,000 new direct jobs, and thousands more in the wider supply chain – driving forward the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.
New gigafactory set to provide almost half of the battery production needed by 2030 – turbocharging UK’s switch to zero emissions vehicles.

The UK has been chosen as the home of Tata Group’s first ‘gigafactory’ outside India, in a move set to create thousands of jobs and bring a huge boost to the UK’s automotive sector.

Tata Group confirmed the UK had secured one of the largest ever investments in the UK auto industry today (19 July). The gigafactory will secure UK-produced batteries for another Tata Sons investment, Jaguar Land Rover, as well as other manufacturers in the UK and Europe.

The new gigafactory, at 40GWh, will be one of the largest in Europe. It will create up to 4,000 highly skilled jobs, as well as thousands of further jobs in the wider supply chain for battery materials and critical raw minerals, helping grow the economy and take forward the UK’s commitment to net zero.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Tata Group’s multi-billion-pound investment in a new battery factory in the UK is testament to the strength of our car manufacturing industry and its skilled workers.

“With the global transition to zero emission vehicles well underway, this will help grow our economy by driving forward our lead in battery technology whilst creating as many as 4,000 jobs, and thousands more in the supply chain.

“We can be incredibly proud that Britain has been chosen as home to Tata Group’s first gigafactory outside India, securing our place as one of the most attractive places to build electric vehicles.”

Mr N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said: “The Tata Group is deeply committed to a sustainable future across our business.

“Today, I am delighted to announce the Tata Group will be setting up one of Europe’s largest battery cell manufacturing facilities in the UK. Our multi-billion-pound investment will bring state-of-the-art technology to the country, helping to power the automotive sector’s transition to electric mobility, anchored by our own business, JLR (Jaguar LandRover).

“With this strategic investment, the Tata Group further strengthens its commitment to the UK, alongside our many companies operating here across technology, consumer, hospitality, steel, chemicals, and automotive.

“I also want to thank His Majesty’s Government, which has worked so closely with us to enable this investment.”

The investment of over £4 billion represents a historic moment for the UK’s growing electric vehicles industry.

The new gigafactory will supply JLR’s future battery electric models including the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands, with the potential to also supply other car manufacturers. Production at the new gigafactory is due to start in 2026.

This investment will be crucial to boosting the UK’s battery manufacturing capacity needed to support the electric vehicle industry in the long term. With an initial output of 40GWh it will also provide almost half of the battery production that the Faraday Institution estimates the UK will need by 2030.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said: “Today’s multibillion-pound investment demonstrates that this Government has got the right plan when it comes to the automotive sector.

“We are backing the UK car industry to help grow our economy as we transition to electric vehicles, and this latest investment will secure thousands of highly-skilled jobs across the country.

“Tata’s decision is a major vote of confidence in UK automotive. The Government is committed to making the UK one of the best places in the world for automotive investment, as evidenced by the Automotive Transformation Fund, the British Industry Supercharger, and the strong programme of support for research and development.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: “This is a huge vote of confidence in the UK and one that will drive growth in our economy, creating thousands of jobs and powering our transition to electric cars.

“Tata Group’s gigafactory builds on the strength of our manufacturing industry and shows we’re on the right track, backing the sectors that will underpin our future prosperity for decades to come.”

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Today’s announcement from Tata is excellent news. We have been working tirelessly with the company, and across government, to make the case for why the UK is the best place for them to invest.

“This new gigafactory puts us firmly in the fast lane to becoming the capital of Europe’s electric car market, and makes crystal clear how they see the UK as the place to be for their future growth.

“With thousands of jobs on site and in the supply chain, this new factory will be the cornerstone of our automotive industry, backing manufacturers to develop and expand, and customers to make the switch from petrol and diesel.”

Jobs Fair in Leith this Thursday

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.