Apprenticeships point the way ahead in Lothian
Edinburgh College hosted an employer’s engagement event to advance their curriculum strategy around vocational and work based learning last week. Employers, partners, local councils and apprentices joined college leadership to put their heads together and share best practice. Continue reading Edinburgh College develops young workforce
More young people than ever living in poverty
The most comprehensive review ever carried out on progress towards greater equality and human rights protection across Scotland and the rest of Britain has been published. Continue reading It’s not fair: ‘many people are being left behind’
New procurement guidance launches Living Wage Week Continue reading To be fair: tackling low pay and zero hour contracts
Hope wins Outstanding Achiever award Continue reading Hope springs eternal!
Edinburgh College gives budding digital creatives the chance to make it with BBC scheme
Edinburgh College is giving creative young unemployed people who love likes, hashtags and telling stories online the chance to take the first steps towards a digital industry career.
The college’s eight-week BBC Make it Digital programme will teach skills to unemployed young people including: digital storytelling, building a website, planning a social media campaign, shooting and editing a film and learning how to pitch creative ideas to business.
The training programme was designed by the BBC Academy and is open to unemployed people between 16-24. It will take place at the college’s Milton Road Campus, where students will work with industry-standard software. The course will start on 2 November.
Taking part in this programme does not affect benefits and those between 16 and 18 on the programme will receive £55 per week Training Allowance. Travelling expenses are also part of the support.
Students will spend three weeks on work placements with local employers, who will ask them to design a social media campaign.
Make it Digital is a national scheme but the programme in Scotland has the added benefit of a recognised SQA qualification – the National Progression Award in Enterprise and Employability.
Trainees will also take part in a Radio 1 challenge based in London, where the best entries will be shortlisted into the final recruitment stages for a year-long Radio 1 Apprenticeship.
As well as new digital skills, students will also learn employability skills including business networking, CV and interview tips, budgeting, project management and creating an online portfolio. By the end of the training, participants will greatly improve their chances of finding a job or a modern apprenticeship.
Jon Buglass, head of Creative Industries at Edinburgh College, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to start to develop the skills they need to make it in the creative digital industry. The digital sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the UK at the moment as businesses now rely on an online presence to survive. We’re excited to be working with the BBC Academy and Skills Development Scotland to give unemployed young people the chance to build digital and employability skills to help them make their way back into the workplace.”
Skills Development Scotland is funding the programme through the Employability Fund. Contact the Edinburgh Skills Development Scotland Careers Centre on 0131 718 2040 or speak to a Jobcentre Work Coach to find out how to apply for this course.
granton:hub at The Madelvic
Saturday 24 October, 11am – 2.30pm
Tackling low pay and zero hours contracts: new guidance will promote fair work
The Scottish Government will today formalise its commitment to making Scotland a fairer place to work with new statutory guidance for public sector procurement. The move has been welcomed by the STUC.
The document represents the first time any administration has gone as far, and ensures that public sector procurements can take account of the fact that employers whose staff are treated fairly are likely to deliver higher quality services.
Those bidding for public contracts will now be expected to adopt fair work practices, which may include –
The Scottish Government is prevented by EU procurement law from making the Living Wage mandatory in contract agreements, but the new statutory guidance means that companies who want to secure business with public bodies are now obliged to sign up to these fair work conditions for anyone working on the contracts.
Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown will launch the new guidance in his speech to the Procurex national procurement conference in Glasgow this morning.
He said: “The commitment to making Scotland a fairer place to work is a key tenet of this government, and our new statutory guidance for public sector procurements sees us nail our colours to the mast.
“Our model of procurement, putting the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability at the heart of all we do, remains the foundation of our approach.
“Employers must now recognise that they cannot adopt exploitative practices in relation to their workers and expect to be rewarded with lucrative contracts in the public sector.
“If you want to do business with the public sector in Scotland, you have to be a responsible employer and value your workers. You have to do your bit to make Scotland a fairer and more equal society.
“We will continue to do everything in our power to promote that ethos.”
The news has been welcomed by those representing workers throughout Scotland.
Grahame Smith, General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) said: “The STUC welcomes the Statutory Guidance on Fair Work Practices being introduced by the Scottish Government, a move that once again highlights the different approach taken by the Scottish Government in tackling poor employment practices and low pay in the Scottish economy.
“The Scottish Government has taken the lead in driving forward the real Living Wage as have local authorities and we believe it is right that companies wishing to receive public contracts should demonstrate that they treat staff fairly by paying a living wage, recognise the benefits of trade unions and collective bargaining and treat their workers with the dignity and respect they deserve.
“The Fair Work Agenda and the approach taken by the Scottish Government to promoting positive industrial relations as being key to economic success is thankfully at odds with attacks on trade unions at UK level and these statutory guidelines provide public bodies the opportunity to ensure contractors understand what is expected from them, as part of the public procurement process, and their role in delivering fair work and good terms and conditions for Scottish workers.”
The Fair Work Convention was set up last year to ensure there are more good quality, well-paid jobs at all levels throughout the public, private and third sectors.
Fair Work Convention Co-Chair Anne Douglas (above) said: “The Fair Work Convention believes it is vital that work which provides individuals with opportunity, fulfilment, security, respect and effective voice and balances the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees. In doing this we can generate real benefits for individuals, organisations and for society more widely.
“It is therefore important that the Scottish Government uses all its levers to promote fair working practices and the Convention welcomes these being reflected in statutory guidance.
Linda Urquhart, the Convention’s other Co-Chair, continued: “The Fair Work Convention is currently engaging across Scotland, with business, employees, union, third and public sectors as well as society more generally to help evidence fair work and the basis from which the Fair Work Framework for Scotland will be created.
“Following the publication of their Framework in March the Fair Work Convention will welcome an opportunity to work with the Scottish Government to further this approach.”
Community group plans peoples’ exhibition
We are holding a one-day ‘History of North Edinburgh’ event, an exhibition of things, film and photos in the former office of the Madelvic electric car company in Granton Park Avenue (off West Granton Road) on Saturday 24 October from 11 am- 3pm.
The theme is the people, industry and workplaces of North Edinburgh.
Did any members of your family work in the Madelvic factory all those years ago? Or more recently in Parsons Peebles, the Wire Works, Salvesens, the Gas Works; what about trawling, whaling, fish merchants, on the trams or other industry in North Edinburgh? Both men’s and women’s work of course!
We need you! We are looking for copies of any photos, stories, memories, artefacts, interesting things to share in an exhibition. We are hopeful that this will go on to create a permanent museum of North Edinburgh.
If you have anything you could contribute to this please contact us as soon as you can …
Barbara Robertson barbara-robertson@teleosvet.co.uk 07825154114
or Willie Black w.black@blueyonder.co.uk 07515686421
or madelviccommunity@gmail.com
granton:hub
at the Madelvic
£1.3m more to support young people into jobs
The Community Jobs Scotland scheme has received an additional £1.3 million from the Scottish Government to help more people with barriers to employment into jobs.
The funding will create 100 additional places that will support 50 early service leavers from the forces and 50 young people with convictions aged 25 to 29 to take up opportunities for up to 12 months.
The age range for vulnerable groups to access the programme will also be extended from 24 to 29.
Community Jobs Scotland is delivered on behalf of the Scottish Government by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and has already received £6.1 million in 2015/16 to help young people into employment with voluntary sector organisations.
Fair Work Secretary Roseanna Cunningham made in the announcement while visiting Glenboig Neighbourhood House as part of Coatbridge cabinet activity. She said: “Community Jobs Scotland has played a significant role in helping thousands of people with barriers to enhance their skills and to progress to education, training or work.
“I am very pleased that this additional funding will allow us to support even more young people, including those with convictions and that are leaving the services early, develop the skills that they need. With youth unemployment levels at the lowest level since 2008 we are already delivering positive results for young people.
“We want to build on that and to continue to focus on those young people who need extra support in finding a job. Likewise, extending the age range for vulnerable groups will ensure that more people are able to benefit from opportunities in the third sector.
“While there are 82,000 fewer Scots unemployed since the peak of the recession in 2010, we must remain focused on helping everyone fulfil their potential in order to drive forward Scotland’s economic growth.”
SCVO Chief Executive Martin Sime said: “Today’s announcement will give young unemployed people, who are furthest away from the labour market, the opportunity to experience paid work and make a real difference to other people’s lives. We’re excited about working with Poppy Scotland to help early service leavers find work and about young people aged 25-29 with convictions or disabilities, care leavers and carers, being eligible to apply for Community Jobs Scotland for the first time.
“Many of these people have already been failed by the Work Programme, so it’s fantastic news that they will get the chance to do their bit in their community, earn a wage and develop new skills.”
Gary Gray, Head of Welfare Services, Poppy Scotland added: “Poppyscotland is delighted to be working in partnership with Community Jobs Scotland. Armed Forces veterans offer employers a unique and extremely valuable skill set, but the transition from the military to civilian workplace can be very challenging. Connecting those who are out of work with opportunities within the voluntary sector is a win-win.
“This Government funding will broaden the employment horizons for many veterans, offering them a much brighter future, and will also provide great value to organisations who play such a crucial role in supporting the disadvantaged and vulnerable in our society.”
British Gas will hire up to 200 apprentices in smart metering across Britain, taking the total recruited to approximately 1,000 this year, it’s been announced. Of those new roles, around 30 will be with Scottish Gas.
The apprentices will join the 1,400 British Gas Smart Energy Experts already installing smart meters in homes across Britain. British Gas expects to continue recruiting in smart metering to complete the nationwide roll-out by 2020.
The apprentices will install smart meters, explain to customers how to use the smart meter in-home display, which shows how much energy is being used in pounds and pence, and provide energy efficiency advice.
Customers will benefit from an end to estimated bills, accurate meter readings and the ability to better understand their energy usage, resulting in potential savings on bills. British Gas is currently trialling Smart Pay As You Go with customers who have prepayment meters. The company is also creating new apps that give smart meter customers information about their energy use on their phone.
British Gas has installed over 1.5 million smart meters in homes across Britain, and is now fitting them at an average rate of one every sixty seconds. More than 117,000 smart meters have been installed by Scottish Gas in Scottish households.
John Craig, Director of Smart Operations, British Gas, based in Edinburgh, said: “This year, we will recruit around 1,000 apprentices in smart metering. We’ve taken the lead in giving our customers more control and insight into their energy use through smart meters. The new recruits will mean we can help even more people benefit from smart meters.”
The new Scottish Gas recruits will receive technical training and will study for the City & Guilds Level 2 QCF Diploma in Smart Metering Dual Fuel. Once they have qualified, they will be ready to go into customers’ homes across Scotland to install smart meters. They will each have their own fully-equipped van, and be supported by the latest tablet and mobile phone technology.
Pictured: Smart meter apprentice, Sam Gibb from Edinburgh – who recently started training as part of this new recruitment drive in the initial 70 Scottish Gas roles.
Pictures by Chris Watt
