We’re looking for three Project Coordinators to join our young people’s service!
You’ll work as part of a team supporting children, young people and their families in the transition from primary to secondary school in Edinburgh or East Lothian.
Apply now: https://peopleknowhow.org/work-with-us
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 7th 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.
DUNFERMLINE TEAM PRIMED AND READY TO CELEBRATE
A week-long series of activities took place at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline as team members celebrated the return of Prime Day.
Some of the fun and games organised for employees at the fulfilment centre included a carnival parade, tombola and carnival themed games. The events were organised by Amazon in Dunfermline to say thank you to the team for the work they do delivering for customers around the UK.
Autumn Morton, a team member from Amazon in Dunfermline who took part in the Prime Day fun, commented on the week, saying: “We had a great time celebrating together during Prime Day.
“We appreciated the chance to have fun and bond as a team as we prepared for a busy, rewarding week.”
Amazon Dunfermline General Manager, Jamie Strain, added: “Prime Day is an exciting time for customers and colleagues alike, so it’s important we set time aside to mark the occasion.
“Our week of fun provided us with an opportunity to celebrate together while delivering for our customers.”
Amazon employees receive competitive pay and comprehensive benefits. Pay starts between £11 and £12 per hour per hour depending on location and employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection and an employee discount as well as a company pension plan.
Amazon employees can also take advantage of Amazon’s pioneering Career Choice programme, which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields, up to £8,000 over four years, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.
Amazon also provides opportunities to improve existing skills or learn new ones through internal career progression opportunities such as cross-training, transferring to a different department and promotion into a managerial role.
To find out more about a career with Amazon, visit Amazon Jobs.
Edinburgh’s leading sports and leisure provider, Edinburgh Leisure, will be running a series of coaching academies that will provide nationally recognised qualifications that will enable successful learners to lead safe and enjoyable sport/physical activity.
Targeted at young people aged 16-24 years, and fully funded through Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities, The Coaching Academy will assist young people to learn new skills for the job market, using the capacity of sports coaching to transform lives, increase motivation, encourage learning, and support personal development.
The inaugural 2023 intake will be limited to 16 candidates with learning focussed on studying for a sport leadership qualification and sports’ specific coaching course qualifications.
Candidates will gain the SCQF Sports Leaders Level 5 qualification carried out as a week-long course starting Monday 17th and finishing on Friday 21st July at Meadowbank Sports Centre delivered by Edinburgh Leisure.
The Sports Leaders sessions use sport to deliver fun and engaging physical activities with other attendees. Candidates will plan, lead, and evaluate sports/physical activity sessions over a number of tutored hours and then demonstrate their leadership skills as part of an assessment.
Upon completion of Sports Leaders, a series of three coaching qualifications will be delivered once weekly at Meadowbank Sports Centre for the 16 candidates. Attendance at all courses is required.
Those qualifications are:
Scottish Badminton: Badminton Basics course: 27th July 2023
‘Badminton Basics’ is a six-hour course geared towards coaches with little or no badminton experience. It focuses on fun games for beginners, allowing participants to lead sessions at schools and assist more experienced coaches at clubs. Badminton Basics is a core component of the new coaching awards and, as such, is the first step on the pathway.
Scottish Athletics: Leading Athletics course: 3rd August 2023
The three-hour ‘Leading Athletics’ workshop is available for coaches and allows for the training and development of new volunteers, with the aim of supporting existing leadership programmes and attracting more young leaders into the sport of athletics. The ‘Leading Athletics’ workshop is aimed at individuals looking to gain the skills to lead athletics activities for young athletes. Individuals completing the course will be able to support Coaching Assistants and Athletics Coaches.
Scottish FA: 1.1 Introduction to Football Coaching course: 10th August 2023
The Scottish FA Level 1.1 Introduction to Coaching course aims to develop a basic understanding of The Scottish FA coach education pathway and the coach’s learning journey focusing on effective communication and player interaction to develop effective delivery.
Participants will be signposted to Edinburgh Leisure volunteering opportunities within sports venues and holiday programme provision, where they will be immersed in all aspects of the sport and leisure coaching environment. This can lead to employment opportunities within Edinburgh Leisure.
Edinburgh Leisure will host a celebratory closing event.
To apply, click this link or scan the QR code to fill in the initial application form.
Edinburgh Leisure is looking for candidates with a passion for sport, enthusiasm for learning and looking for a new opportunity.
Registration closes on Friday, 30th June 2023. Edinburgh Leisure is looking for initial candidates with a passion for sport, enthusiasm for learning and looking for a new opportunity.
For further information, contact Gary Hocknull, Sports Development Officer at Edinburgh Leisure – garyhocknull@edinburghleisure.co.uk
Key highlights:
Ahead of Scottish Apprenticeship Week last week QA Scotland announced the opening of over 30 new apprenticeship positions across Edinburgh and the surrounding area, available for immediate start.
Working in partnership with numerous local businesses including George Watson’s College and Computershare Investor Services, QA is promoting a range of roles, with salaries of up to £19,000 a year and a wide choice of job opportunities. The openings range across the spectrum from digital marketing and project management to IT support and administration.
Scotland’s largest provider of tech, digital and IT apprenticeships, QA Scotland places around 1,300 candidates every year with some of Scotland’s most exciting tech employers.
Lawrie Fraser from Falkirk found his apprenticeship completely life changing. Struggling in the travel industry he decided to reskill and is now head of marketing in his new career.
Of his apprenticeship journey, the 20-year-old said: “I wasn’t in the right industry for me during my first apprenticeship and that lead me to contacting QA, where I felt more naturally in the correct industry for me.
“Work gets me flying around left, right and centre. It’s good to see the world and see different places of business and cultures.
“It does build your character, it does build your career and it does make you a stronger person.
“The advice I’d give to people that want to change their career pathway would be: don’t be scared, back yourself 100%.
“Even if it’s taking that leap to contact QA just to get the conversation and the ball rolling, I would do it a million times over.
“QA’s changed my life and I know a lot of ambassadors that have changed their lives as well.”
QA apprenticeship ambassador Lawrie Fraser
Marston Holdings have taken on apprentices through QA and have been delighted with the “fresh outlooks” brought to their business.
Michael Fraser-McGinness, Operations Manager at Marston Holdings, said: “It’s been great to have apprentices as part of our company, fresh outlooks and new experiences allow organisations to increase diversity and, in turn, creativity”
Of his apprenticeship journey with Marston Holdings, accountant apprentice Zak Bowker said: “Since the start of my apprenticeship, I’ve received constant support from both my managers, and other members of the business.
“Everyone has been eager to offer training sessions on other areas of finance which has given me invaluable knowledge and understanding.”
Lorne Blyth, founder of Flavours Holidays, has been delighted with her “fantastic asset”, apprentice Amy Canfield.
She said: “We would highly recommend hiring an apprentice, especially after the great experience we’ve had bringing Amy Canfield our digital marketing apprentice, who plays a major role in helping us to promote our holidays online, into the business.
“Whether it’s creating social media videos or helping with the website, she has a natural creative ability to curate exciting and engaging content which helps to showcase the Flavours adventures – she really is a fantastic asset to the team.”
Chris Shekleton, Director – Scotland QA, said: “If you left school at Christmas and have not yet decided on your future, or if you are in an interim job, waiting for the right opening, then it may be that an apprenticeship is the way forward. There are lots of opportunities out there.
“And if you think you don’t have any relevant qualifications or experience, that is not a barrier, with an apprenticeship you learn on the job and you earn while you learn.”
David Cunningham, QA Scotland Youth Engagement and Communications Manager, added: “No matter what your background or qualifications, we are confident we can match you with an apprenticeship scheme that will kick start your future.
“With vacancies available across over 50 employers throughout Scotland, it is aptitude and interests that count, and we will point you in the direction you need.”
To take a look at what is on offer, visit QA.com, pop in your postcode and get in touch.
Do you have a passion for working in healthcare? Looking to start your exciting career as a Clinical Support Worker or in Administration?
NHS Lothian’s Modern Apprenticeships may just be what you are looking for!
Applications will open 6th January! More details to follow.
Fort Kinnaird has collaborated with Capital City Partnership to launch a recruitment project that will support local people with employment opportunities and achieve new qualifications.
The Focus on Recruitment and Training (FORT) scheme is running for three years and is situated next to the Fort Kinnaird Management Suite. The free service is available for people aged 16 and over and works to identify potential roles for jobseekers with local employers, including retailers at the centre.
The FORT project also includes the delivery of youth focused training courses on Retail and Customer Service, for those aged between 16 and 24.
The scheme’s inaugural course will run from Monday 27th June until Friday 8th July and will feature an SQA accredited Customer Service qualification, support with CV building, job applications and interview tips along with an opportunity to be interviewed by a recruiting Fort Kinnaird retailer.
FORT is funded by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and in kind support from the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “As a hub for many local communities, it’s extremely important to us that we use Fort Kinnaird’s scale to support projects that will make a real difference to the lives of those living closest to us.
“We’re so pleased that the new FORT project will be available for people to access free advice, training and job opportunities and provide them with the difficult first step into employment or the jump between careers.”
Kenny Hall, integrated employer engagement officer at Capital City Partnership, said: “Retail and Hospitality are two industries that have suffered significantly in terms of staffing off the back of the pandemic, and employers at Fort Kinnaird are no different.
“Through the new FORT project, we hope to upskill and retrain people from the local community to fill the recruitment gaps at Fort Kinnaird and the surrounding area.
“To register your interest in our first course, please email: TrainingAcademy@capitalcitypartnership.org or drop in to see us at the Recruitment and Skills Centre situated within Fleming House at Fort Kinnaird”
For more information on Fort Kinnaird, visit:
https://www.fortkinnaird.com/community/recruitment-skills-centre-fort-kinnaird or www.rscfortkinnaird.co.uk.
Social Bite has launched a pioneering initiative to help revolutionise the access people who have experienced homelessness have to job opportunities across the UK.
Through its new Jobs First programme, Social Bite will work directly with some of the UK’s biggest employers to help breakdown the barriers people who have been homeless face on their route to employment
To date, businesses including BaxterStorey, Mitchells & Butlers, Andron FM, have signed up with a plan to help create a target of 60 employment opportunities for people experiencing homelessness. The program is being part funded through a grant from the Oak Foundation.
The initiative, which guarantees living wage employment for each person, will provide wrap around support for both the employer and employee.
Each Jobs First employee will be allocated a support worker from Social Bite who will assist them throughout the programme and their employment contract, meeting weekly to offer practical support on bills and forms, as well as emotional guidance and confidence building to adapt to working life.
Social Bite will provide training to each employer to help them appropriately guide the employee while the support worker will help facilitate appraisal processes and employee progress.
As measures put in place in response to COVID-19 are wound down, it is feared that more people will experience homelessness with latest statistics released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) showing that many of these measures helped to reduce and prevent homelessness.
Data in London shows that between April and June this year, the number of people sleeping on the streets increased by 25 per cent, making Social Bite’s Jobs First initiative even more timely. Firms across the UK are also sounding the alarm over staff shortages, with Britain’s worst labour shortage in decades putting economic recovery from lockdown at risk.
George Watson kickstarted the programme today, taking on his role with hospitality provider BaxterStorey who supply Royal Bank’s Gogarburn headquarters in Edinburgh where Social Bite recently opened a café.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Bite, said: “Social Bite started life nine years ago by offering jobs in a small café to people who had experienced homelessness and over that time we have seen the power of employment to change lives.
“Too often, the response to people experiencing homelessness is to ‘get a job’ – however, it’s not that easy. Proactive employers stepping out of their comfort zone to provide chances for those who would otherwise be excluded and a wraparound support alongside the job are the solutions.
“That’s why the Jobs First programme is so important. We will match people who are excluded from the jobs market with some of the UK’s largest employers.
“The wrap around support we will provide will help both employers and employees enjoy a fruitful working partnership. At a time when the UK is facing a serious labour shortage, we are incredibly proud to be partnering with major employers to deliver a program of scale throughout the UK that can act as a blueprint for how we can provide employment opportunities for homeless and marginalised people.”
Over the past four years, Social Bite has supported 34 people into employment from a background of homelessness and in total, one quarter of its workforce has experienced homelessness.
Of the 34, many have moved into employment roles with other companies, some into higher education and in many cases, they have developed careers within Social Bite. These learnings have formed the basis for rolling out Jobs First across the UK.
Operations Manager, Caroline Bacigalupo at BaxterStorey, said: “Jobs First is a fantastic programme and we’re proud to be working with Social Bite to offer training and employment opportunities to people who were previously homeless.
“We’re all thrilled to welcome George on board and can’t wait to support other Jobs First employees reach their full potential as the programme develops.”
George Watson said: “Social Bite has been like my family for the past seven years. I am really excited to start my job role with BaxterStorey. I am grateful for the Jobs First programme and hope it will help many others into employment.”
The HR & Recruitment industry has seen the greatest increase in job opportunities over the past year, new research has revealed.
The study, conducted by advertising experts N.Rich, analysed official job advertisement data from the ONS and Adzuna, comparing the year-on-year increase in job ads across 29 different industries between July 2020 and July 2021.
Results indicated that HR & Recruitment boasts an annual increase of 544% jobs advertised – more than three times the average increase for all UK industries (171%).
The Transport / Logistics / Warehouse industry has seen the second highest increase in job opportunities, with a 437% annual increase.
Rounding out the top three of highest annual increase of jobs advertised via Adzuna job boards were those for the Catering/ Hospitality industry, with a 425% improvement compared to the same date last year.
Other industries starting to recover include Manufacturing, which has a 420% annual increase in job adverts, putting it in fourth place. Fifth place belongs to the Marketing/ Advertising/ PR industry, with an annual increase in job adverts of 359%.
The lower half of the Top 10 features industries such as Management/ Exec/ Consulting industry (357% annual increase), Constructions/Trades (352%), and Admin/ Clerical/ Secretarial jobs (329% increase). Rounding off the top 10 are the Sales and Wholesale/Retail industries, with increases in job adverts of 292% and 290% respectively.
At the other end of the scale, Healthcare and Social Care saw the lowest increase in openings, going up by just 29% compared to a year previously, while Education also saw a relatively small rise of 52%.
Year-on-year comparison of job adverts across UK by industry – top 10, July 2020 – July 2021
| Industry | Year-on-Year percentage increase |
| 1. HR and Recruitment | 544.94% |
| 2. Transport/ Logistics/ Warehouse | 437.74% |
| 3. Catering and Hospitality | 425.21% |
| 4. Manufacturing | 420.93% |
| 5. Marketing/ Advertising/ PR | 359.00% |
| 6. Management/ Exec/ Consulting | 357.13% |
| 7. Construction/ Trades | 352.44% |
| 8. Admin/ Clerical/ Secretarial | 329.41% |
| 9. Sales | 292.32% |
| 10. Wholesale and Retail | 290.53% |
| Average across all industries | 171.8% |
In addition, the study analysed how job opportunities have changed across the UK’s regions, with the East of England seeing an increase of 242% when comparing the week commencing 16 July 2021 with the same week in 2020.
In second place is the North East with a 223% increase in job adverts, while third place belongs to the West Midlands with a 210% increase in jobs advertised.
London has seen the lowest increase in job opportunities by region compared to July last year, at 134%. North West comes in behind at 167%, followed by the South East with a 168% increase in job adverts.
Year-on-year comparison of job adverts across UK by region, July 2020 – July 2021
| UK Region | Year-on-Year percentage increase |
| 1. East of England | 242.1% |
| 2. North East | 223.2% |
| 3. West Midlands | 210.9% |
| 4. East Midlands | 205.7% |
| 5. Yorkshire and The Humber | 194% |
| 6. South West | 171.8% |
| 7. South East | 168.7% |
| 8, North West | 167.5% |
| 9. London | 134.2% |
| All Regions | 171.8% |
Year-on-year comparison of job adverts across UK by country, July 2020 – July 2021
| UK Region | Year-on-Year percentage increase |
| 1. Northern Ireland | 232.5% |
| 2. Wales | 180.6% |
| 3. England | 176.2% |
| 4. Scotland | 159.9% |
A spokesperson for N.Rich said, “It is exciting to see that a number of industries are recovering after a gruelling couple of years. It just goes to show that – despite fears of an economic downturn post lockdown – the UK job market remains resilient and robust.”
The study was conducted by N.Rich, which offers a rich array of intent data and ad inventory that enable marketers to drive awareness and lead generation effectively.
Fresh Start is looking to recruit a team of community researchers to carry out some work in North Edinburgh …
