Aldi is looking to hire over 140 colleagues in Edinburgh and The Lothians between now and Christmas.
The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket is looking for people of all levels of experience to fill roles at its stores and distribution centres across the region.
This includes apprenticeships and part-time positions such as Warehouse Cleaner and Stock Assistant, all the way up to Deputy Manager.
Stores in Edinburgh and The Lothians where Aldi is looking to hire include Bathgate, Hermiston Gait and Livingston.
The recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion drive in recent years, with the supermarket currently looking to fill thousands of roles across the UK before the end of the year.
Kelly Stokes, Recruitment Director at Aldi UK, said: “As we continue to grow, we’re looking for more ambitious and hard-working individuals to join our team at stores across Edinburgh and The Lothians.
“There’s something here for everyone, from new starters looking to take their first step on the career ladder to more experienced team managers seeking a new challenge.
“Our amazing colleagues are central to everything we do at Aldi and remain one of the key factors in our success. We’re looking forward to welcoming our new recruits to the team.”
Those interested in applying for a career with Aldi can visit
A new study examining the impact of lockdowns on Scotland’s young people has revealed that over two-thirds (67%) feel positive about their current employment situation as lockdown eases, but only two-fifths of Scottish students are confident about securing future employment.
Commissioned by the Scottish Government and delivered by the Scottish Youth Parliament, YouthLink Scotland and Young Scot, the study of nearly 2,500 young people serves as a follow-up to previous surveys that explored young people’s concerns in response to the pandemic.
The latest LockdownLowdown research examines the lasting impact of lockdowns and comes as many young people return to in-person education and work as lockdown restrictions ease.
The results revealed that job satisfaction among young people has risen since last year, with 67% of young people feeling good about their current job situation – a 12% increase from the previous LockdownLowdown report in the winter.
However, positive sentiment waned when young people were asked about their confidence in finding a job in the future – with 2 in 5 (37%) of those currently in higher education concerned about securing graduate employment.
In general, employment and finances were leading worries among young people, with more than a third (36%) admitting that their work hours had been cut, while a fifth (22%) were placed on furlough, and 18% lost their job entirely. This comes when over a third (36%) don’t know where to access information on financial support.
The Lockdown Lowdown survey identified mental health as a further concern among young people, with over a third (35%) worried about their mental wellbeing and two fifths (40%) not confident about accessing information on mental health and wellbeing.
Following the reopening of schools and learning environments, over three quarters (76%) of young people have returned to in-person education – with 85% happy to be back. However, nearly half of respondents (44%) felt unprepared in the run-up to this year’s assessments, and only 2 in 5 (38%) were confident that the grades determined by their teachers would be delivered fairly.
Nearly 2,500 young people from across Scotland took part in the research that will be used by the Scottish Government and shared with stakeholders, including the NHS and local authorities.
Josh Kennedy MSYP, Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said:“Meaningfully engaging with the views of young people is the only way to ensure that decisions are made with their views and needs at the centre.
“The latest LockdownLowdown report makes it very easy for decision-makers to find out what young people think about restrictions easing. Young people have had an incredibly challenging time over the last year and a half.
“I would encourage every decision-maker in Scotland to look at the views presented in this report and consider them when making decisions about how Scotland comes out of the Pandemic.”
Tim Frew, CEO of YouthLink Scotland, said:“As we strive to return our lives to normal after this really challenging period, it’s vital that government and other decision makers know where young people are at, and their thinking on the pandemic.
“In this latest survey there are very clear messages from young people around anxiety about future employment prospects, mental health remains a significant concern and there are clearly issues about the impact lockdown has had on assessments and results.
“As we continue to come through the pandemic, the voices of young people need to be listened to as we shape the way forward. The findings also show the importance of youth work to many young people, and demonstrates the incredible support youth workers have continued to offer in extremely difficult circumstances.”
Kirsten Urquhart, Interim CEO of Young Scot said: “Given the immense challenges young people have faced throughout the pandemic, it’s no surprise to see rising concern over future employment.
“While a surge in job satisfaction is cause for cautious optimism – we want to reassure young people that Young Scot is here to support every young person with their next steps as we begin to recover from the pandemic.”
55% of students are considering dropping out of their courses, while 63% say their mental health and wellbeing worsened since the start of the academic year
Three in 10 businesses say a job candidate’s degree doesn’t matter at all, while 56% say that it is generally not important
However UCAS data reveals university applications have risen
More than half of UK students were considering dropping out this academic year, while two thirds have suffered a decline in mental health, a new study has found, alongside the fact that 56% of companies do not consider a degree important when recruiting.
The research by money transfer service RationalFX found that student mental health is declining, with a recent ONS survey revealing that 63% of students said their mental wellbeing had worsened since the start of the academic year in September 2020. Furthermore, 55% of students say they are considering dropping out of their courses.
In addition, new graduates will encounter a job market where 30% of business owners say a degree is not important at all when recruiting, while a further 26% rate the qualification as not very important, according to a poll by YouGov.
Despite this, the numbers for university applications this year have risen. New data from UCAS reveals that there have been 10% more applications for this Autumn, rising from 281,000 last year to a record 311,000, with 44% of school leavers applying for university places.
Commenting on the study, a spokesperson for RationalFX said: “Choosing whether to study for a degree has always been a big decision, but the impact of the pandemic has probably made it even more significant.
“For the majority of employers, a degree is far from essential, and for many students the last academic year has been very difficult. And with the cost of attending university higher than ever before, it is certainly not a decision to be taken lightly.”
Only 14% of businesses say a degree is very important while one in four consider it somewhat important. Larger businesses are more likely to consider a degree valuable when hiring a new employee, with 56% saying that it is important, compared to one in five small businesses.
The employment sector that places the greatest importance on degrees during the hiring process is Legal, with IT & Telecoms coming in second.
Finance and Accounting comes in third, followed by Media & Marketing, Manufacturing and Construction.
Marketing is split with 47% of businesses believing a degree is important, and 50% saying it is not. The sector that places the least importance on having a degree is hospitality and leisure.
Younger business owners are much more likely to value a degree, with 23% of those aged under 35 rating one as very important, compared to just 8% of UK business owners aged 55 and over.
Businesses in London are more likely to value a degree when they are looking for new hires, with 62% considering it at least somewhat important, while nearly of half of businesses in Wales (46%) say the qualification is not important at all.
The analysis was conducted by RationalFX, which is one of Europe’s leading international payment providers. Its competitive exchange rates, market expertise, suite of FX products and online payment platform enable bank transfers in more than 50 currencies worldwide.
Employment Sector and their opinion on the importance of a degree for a new hire
Sector
Very important
Somewhat important
Not important at all
Legal
40
26
11
IT & Telecoms
19
39
17
Finance and Accounting
21
33
18
Media/Marketing/advertising/ PR & Sales
18
29
23
Manufacturing
13
25
31
Construction
11
25
40
Retail
14
16
35
Hospitality and Leisure
6
13
48
UK businesses and their opinion on the importance of a degree, split by region
Ellesmere Port to become Stellantis’s first manufacturing site dedicated to battery electric LCV and passenger car models for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën
Industrial performance improvements as a result of strong cooperation between the company, the Unite Union and, most importantly, the workforce
Stellantis £100million investment supported by the UK government to secure an all-electric future for the plant
Ambition for Ellesmere Port plant to be carbon neutral by mid-decade
Ellesmere Port to support Stellantis Europe’s leading LCV position
Vauxhall continuing its tradition of manufacturing vehicles in the UK, which started in 1903
Stellantis announces today a £100million investment in Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant to transform the site for a new era in electric vehicle manufacturing.
Ellesmere Port will become the first Stellantis plant to produce a solely battery-electric model, in both commercial and passenger versions, by the end of next year, for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën brands and for both domestic and export markets.
This dedication to battery electric vehicles will go towards achieving the UK Government’s decision to stop sales of pure petrol and diesel engined vehicles from 2030.
Stellantis investment in Ellesmere Port will leverage the performance improvement actions that have been made possible thanks to a collaborative process between the company, the Unite the Union and based on the workforce’s drive to transform their plant.
Stellantis strong willingness to ensure a sustainable future for Ellesmere Port has been consistently supported by the UK Government, the Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise partnership and Chester College.
Carlos Tavares, Chief Executive Officer at Stellantis, said: “Performance is always the trigger for sustainability and this £100million investment demonstrates our commitment to the UK and to Ellesmere Port.
“I particularly want to thank our highly skilled, dedicated workforce for their patience and contribution; we never let them down. Equally, I want to thank our partners the Unite Union for their open mind set and strong cooperation and, of course, the UK Government for their continued support.
“Producing battery electric vehicles here will support clean, safe and affordable mobility for the citizens. Since 1903 Vauxhall has manufactured vehicles in Britain and we will continue to do so.”
UK Government, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, said: “Ellesmere Port’s proud tradition in auto manufacturing will continue for many years to come thanks to today’s investment.
“Stellantis’ decision to double down on their commitment to this site is a clear vote of confidence in the UK as one of the best locations globally for competitive, high-quality automotive production.
“Today’s decision will not only power Ellesmere Port into a clean future, but will secure thousands of jobs across the region in the supply chain. In this global race to secure electric vehicle production, we are proud to support Britain’s auto sector in this crucial transition as we work to build back better.”
The plant at Ellesmere Port will celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, having been built in 1962, and produced its first car, the Vauxhall Viva, in 1964. Since that time, it has produced subsequent generations of the Vauxhall Viva, the Vauxhall Chevette and then each generation of the Vauxhall and Opel Astra. In total, since 1964, it has built over 5.2 million vehicles.
This new era of manufacturing will see a transformation of the Ellesmere Port plant “fit for the future”, with a new body shop, upgraded general assembly, a compression of the site area and the creation of an on-site battery pack assembly. In addition, there will be further support to enable a pathway to carbon neutrality for the plant by the middle of this decade. The plant aims to be 100% self-sufficient for electricity and work will commence imminently on potential wind and solar farms.
Stellantis has also announced the intention to consult on further investment into the Ellesmere Port site with the creation of a new UK parts distribution centre.
From later next year, Ellesmere Port will build the following all-electric vehicles:
Electric LCV
Electric Passenger Car
Vauxhall Combo-e
Vauxhall Combo-e Life
Opel Combo-e
Opel Combo-e Life
Peugeot e-Partner
Peugeot e-Rifter
Citroën e-Berlingo
Citroën e-Berlingo
These light commercial vehicles, and their passenger car variants, are all powered by a 100kW (136hp) motor with a 50kWh lithium-ion battery. They are able to be charged at up to 100kW and take just 30 minutes to charge from 0% to 80%. Under WLTP conditions, they are capable of up to 174 miles of range.
Stellantis is the LCV market leader in Europe and, in the UK, Vauxhall leads sales in the fast growing all-electric LCV segment.
Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën brands have already committed to each offering all-electric versions of their entire respective van model ranges before the end of 2021. Fiat Professional is also committed to offering electrified and alternatively fuelled versions across its van range.
With rising LCV usage in urban areas, partly due to the growth in demand for online delivery services, these zero-emissions-in-use vans will make a significant contribution to reducing emissions in towns and cities across the country.
The passenger car version will enable families to enjoy a “zero emission” active life with up to seven seats, benefitting from a modern high-tech interior, with great levels of comfort and adaptability and interior space, premium comfort and smart safety features.
Black and minority ethnic (BME) workers are three times more likely than white workers to have lost working hours during the pandemic, according to a new TUC poll published on Friday.
The survey – carried out for the TUC by Britain Thinks – found that around 1 in 11 (9%) BME workers had their normal 35-48 hours a week cut back during the Covid-19 pandemic. Only 1 in 33 (3%) white workers said their working hours were reduced.
Nearly 1 in 8 (13%) BME workers told the TUC that their hours were cut without them requesting it in the last 12 months, compared to 1 in 11 (9%) of white workers. And 1 in 4 (25%) BME workers said they were now working between 1-24 hours a week, compared to 1 in 5 (20%) white workers.
The poll also found that:
Second jobs: BME workers were nearly twice as likely to say they’d had to take on more than one job in the last 12 months than white workers. Around 1 in 14 (7%) BME workers had more than one job during the past year, compared to just 1 in 25 (4%) white workers.
Pressure to go into work: 1 in 5 (20%) BME respondents told the TUC they were worried that if they did not go into their workplace this would impact negatively on their status at work, for example in terms of their job security or their chances of getting a pay rise. Around 1 in 7 (14%) white respondents shared this concern.
Previous TUC analysis revealed that the unemployment rate for BME workers has risen three times as fast as the unemployment rate for white workers during the pandemic.
The BME unemployment rate shot up from 6.3% to 8.9% between the first quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, an increase of 41%. Over the same period the unemployment rate for white workers rose from 3.6% to 4.1%, an increase of 14%.
Around 1 in 11 (8.9%) BME workers are now unemployed, compared to 1 in 25 (4.1%) of white workers.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Covid-19 has shone a spotlight on the structural discrimination that has been hidden in our jobs market for too long.
“BME workers have shouldered the burden of the pandemic. They’ve faced the double whammy of being more likely to be working in industries that have been hit hardest by unemployment. And it’s now clear they’ve also have been more likely than white workers to lose hours – and therefore pay. Too many BME workers are having to take on second jobs now just to make ends meet.
“We know that BME workers are more likely to be in low-paid, insecure work with less employment rights. Through the pandemic, many have paid for this discrimination by losing hours, jobs and wages. Tragically, many more have paid with their lives.
“Enough is enough. Everyone deserves a decent job, with decent pay and with decent terms and conditions. Ministers must address this inequality once and for all and challenge the structural discrimination that holds BME workers back at every level of the labour market.”
Chair of the TUC anti-racism task force and NASUWT General Secretary Patrick Roach said: “This latest evidence comes on top of other data showing that Black workers are bearing the brunt of precarious employment, zero-hours contracts and employers using ‘fire and rehire’ to drive down wages.
“With rates of unemployment rising fastest amongst Black workers, we need to see urgent action from the Government to tackle these inequalities and secure a recovery that works for everyone.
“It will also be important that employers consider and are held to account for how their decisions are impacting on Black and White workers.”
The TUC is calling on government to:
Introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting and make employers publish action plans to ensure fair wages for BME workers in the workplace.
Ban zero-hours contractsand strengthen the rights of insecure workers – which will have a disproportionate impact on BME workers.
Publish all the equality impact assessments related to its response to Covid-19 and be transparent about how it considers BME communities in policy decisions.
SP Energy Networks sets out plans to invest £1.58 billion in Central and Southern Scotland between 2023 and 2028
Investment is critical to the UK hitting its Net Zero targets, with the UK set to see circa 30 million EVs hit the streets and 22 million heat pumps installed in homes by 2050.
Critical upgrades will be required to connect an additional 3GW of renewable generation as Scotland revolutionises transport and heating infrastructure at speed.
Proposals include £30m Net Zero Fund to support innovative, low carbon community projects across SP Energy Network’s licence areas.
SP Energy Networks has today launched its draft RIIO-ED2 Business Plan, detailing the £3.2 billion of investment required to ready the UK for an electric future, of which £1.58bn would be in Central and Southern Scotland’s distribution network.
The work will kick-start the much-needed growth in low carbon technologies required to reach the Scotland’s climate ambitions. Across Central and Southern Scotland, the investment would enable the connection of over 370,000 electric vehicles, 210,000 domestic heat pumps and an additional 3GW of low carbon electricity generation connected during the five-year period.
To help deliver this mammoth task, SP Energy Networks plans to recruit more than 1,100 green jobs across its licence areas (Central and Southern Scotland and Merseyside, Cheshire, North & Mid-Wales and North Shropshire), with thousands more indirect jobs supported over the five years.
Frank Mitchell, CEO of SP Energy Networks, said:“The scale of the task at hand cannot be underestimated. If the Scotland is to hit its Net Zero targets, we must deliver one of the largest, fastest upgrades of our critical infrastructure this country has ever seen.
“In RIIO-ED2, we need to respond to our customers’ changing needs as we move towards Net Zero. We’ve set out our plans to continue delivering exceptional service, supporting our most vulnerable customers, and taking on a more proactive role in our communities.
“Our customers already rate us at over 9 out of 10 for satisfaction and we plan on going even further. We will be a partner that supports their journey to Net Zero, bridging the gap from ambition to action to make sure that we leave no-one behind in the energy transition.”
At the heart of SP Energy Networks planned investment across its licence area is:
developing a network that’s ready for Net Zero by continuing to adapt the world-class network to be more resilient and more reliable, using innovative, flexible, and efficient solutions. Innovation and efficiency embedded in the plan will save £173m for customers.
being the trusted partner for customers, communities, and stakeholders by engaging more with customers and communities, supporting them by offering enhanced and tailored services, and going further for vulnerable customers. A proposed £30 million Distribution Net Zero fund will support innovative, low-carbon project proposals to enable communities to realise their ambitions, and £62.5 million of social benefits will be delivered through the provision of support services to more customers than ever before.
readying the business for a digital and sustainable future by embedding new digital approaches, innovation, and process redesign to save customers more than £60 million and by putting sustainability first in order to reduce our carbon footprint by 38% by 2028.
Frank Mitchell explains:“When the current infrastructure was built, homes used gas or solid fuel for heating with only twenty appliances running on electricity – compared to more than fifty now.
“Over the next two decades, we expect to see that demand rise significantly, as millions more electric vehicles and heating systems come online.
“Our network has served us well over the last fifty years. Now is the time to invest so it stands ready to continue that service in a truly decarbonised future.”
SP Energy Networks has engaged with over 15,000 customers and stakeholders on the Business Plan and will continue to engage and consult ahead of the submission of the final plan in December 2021.
New TUC analysis shows employment in hard-hit sectors is struggling to recover from the pandemic
Government should delay hiking up business contributions while Covid restrictions are in place – and extend furlough for as long as necessary
Many employers are using furlough flexibly to support a gradual return to business as usual, says TUC
The TUC has warned ministers not to “pull the plug” on the UK’s economic recovery by cutting off support for businesses and workers too soon.
The warning comes as new TUC analysis reveals that employment in hard-hit sectors is struggling to recover from the pandemic.
The analysis shows that just 1 in 8 (110,000) of the 790,000 jobs lost across manufacturing, retail, hospitality and the arts during Covid have been recovered.
By contrast, nearly all the jobs lost in business services and administration – which saw a 220,000 fall in employment – have been recovered.
The union body says ministers must provide ongoing, targeted support for at-risk industries and halt plans to increase furlough contributions for employers while Covid restrictions remain in place.
The analysis also reveals that 6 in 10 workers currently on furlough are working in manufacturing, retail, hospitality and the arts – sectors hit hard by the continuing restrictions.
The TUC fears that if the job retention scheme is ended too abruptly tens of thousands of additional jobs could be lost from these industries.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Furlough has played a vital role in protecting jobs and keeping businesses running during this pandemic.
“Ministers must not pull the plug on our recovery by cutting off support too soon.
“The government should hold off hiking up employer contributions until all restrictions have been lifted.
“And we need a cast-iron commitment from the chancellor that he will extend furlough for as long as is needed, rather than ending it abruptly in three months’ time.
“Working families need this certainty now – not a rollercoaster approach to protecting livelihoods.”
The TUC highlighted that workers can only be furloughed if their employers decides to use the scheme, meaning that the scheme is well-targeted only to those businesses that need it.
They also note that around two-fifths of furloughed staff (41.6%) are now only furloughed for part of the working week and are working for the rest of it, enabling businesses to use furlough to manage their gradual return to full operations.
“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.
Capital’s employability commitment hits 10 year milestone
Edinburgh’s youth employability commitment, the Edinburgh Guarantee, marks a decade while expanding its support to help people of all ages and backgrounds:
Celebrating its 10th year, the Edinburgh Guarantee, originally the Capital’s youth employability commitment, is expanding to help people of all ages access fair work, training and employment opportunities with a new look website launched today by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Recognising the impact the pandemic has had on businesses and training providers, and the ripple effect this has on people’s prospects, there will also be a particular focus on those facing additional barriers to employment with the overall aim to give equal access to job and education opportunities.
The website will be a one stop shop to connect and sign up employers across the city, while offering people a quick and easy access point to job boards, information on training opportunities and additional support routes available.
Through the Edinburgh Guarantee team and network of employability partners, employers are incentivised to get involved by getting access to additional recruitment support, information on possible funding available and ongoing assistance for their business and new hires where required. All of this makes it easy and rewarding for employers to pledge their support.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “The Edinburgh Guarantee is rooted in the principal that everyone should have the opportunity to work, and access to training and skills development, and that everyone who is able to can be part of our city’s recovery. And that by working together, we can create those opportunities and a better future for everyone.
“Now in its 10th year, the Edinburgh Guarantee has been a great success helping so many young people move into fair work or gain the education and training that they deserve. We’re now widening this commitment to include people of all ages and backgrounds which clearly shows our intention to make sure no one is left behind as a result of this pandemic.
“It’s been great to hear how so many organisations across all sizes and sectors are able to play their part. Longstanding lead employers such as Standard Life Aberdeen, NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council, have paved the way for us to get to where we are today.
“And it is exciting to see that network grow to welcome new and smaller organisations and businesses like Basketball Scotland, JAD Joinery and The Wee Book Company – a small business that recently added to its workforce with a new recruit, made possible through Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentive, which is a funding package for private SMEs and third sector organisations to help fill vacancies and create new and additional jobs.
Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener, said: “On this 10 year anniversary of the Edinburgh Guarantee I’d like to thank those employers that have been with us since the start and led the way for other businesses and organisations by demonstrating the benefits of getting involved over the last decade.
“We’ve recognised that the end of the furlough scheme will have serious implications and most likely further increase the levels of unemployment across Scotland, so we’re working hard to support and incentivise employers to play a part in the city’s recovery – such as helping smaller supporters access funding to help them to get involved.
“Over the past year we’ve spoken to business owners and employers from across all sectors, gaining valuable insight into the key implications of the pandemic on their industry. This has given us an overview of those who are currently able to offer opportunities as well as those who we may be able to support as we begin to move into the recovery period.”
Gavin Keddie, Publishing Assistant at The Wee Book Company was recruited thanks to the Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentive
The Wee Book Company, a new publishing business in the city, became aware of Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentives and as part of the Edinburgh Guarantee offer, employers who recruit someone with barriers to employment can secure up to £6,000 to help with the costs.
With the funding available to them they have been able to create a Publishing Assistant post for Gavin Keddie which he started in March 2021.
Andrew McAllister, Head of Sales at The Wee Book Company, said: “As a small business, the Edinburgh Guarantee has literally made the difference in us being able to give Gavin an opportunity, who has been a revelation. In a matter of only a few weeks he has been really helpful to the development of our publishing business.
“Gavin has come in and we have been really impressed with his commitment, effort and excellent knowledge of modern technology. As a result of being made aware of Gavin’s Aspergers condition, we were able to recognise that he had great talent, but during the interview was a little shy and reserved and was definitely very modest about his previous achievements including the fact that he has been successfully published and written at least five books to date.”
Young business people are discussing together a new startup project. A glowing light bulb as a new idea.
Established in 2011 to address the needs of school leavers who were unable to move into a positive destination following the last economic downturn, the Edinburgh Guarantee has since worked with over 550 employers to get over 3,500 young people into apprenticeships or training opportunities.
Many partners have come together to support this initiative’s continued success including colleges, voluntary sector organisations and national programmes, while also making it easy and rewarding for private sector businesses and organisations to play their part in helping people across the city.
