Tag: Recruitment

Police recruits take oath of office

The largest intake of probationary constables ever to join Police Scotland has been thanked for their commitment to public service as they took the oath of office yesterday.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone welcomed the cohort of 348 recruits into the Police Service of Scotland and told them they had joined at a time of “national significance”.

The Chief Constable said: “This is a moment of national significance and policing has a crucial role in protecting the people of Scotland.

“I recognise that by coming here together for your training, there is a potential risk. We are asking you to put yourself in a position that we do not ask of other citizens.

“Putting yourself in harm’s way to protect others goes to the very heart of what it means to be a police officer.

“Your colleagues are on the streets, right now, demonstrating that commitment for the good of their fellow citizens.

“You are joining that shared mission and I thank all police officers and staff who are contributing to the national effort to protect people from the spread of coronavirus.

The Chief Constable added: “The response to coronavirus may continue for some time and we must maintain and support the frontline.

“That is why we pressed on with our plan to recruit you and why we are looking at how we can make you, as police officers, available to that visible response, with appropriate supervision, at an earlier stage of your training than would normally be the case.

“I wish to assure you that we are doing all we can to support our people on the frontline, including redirecting resources and providing the equipment you need.

“The service has received and distributed masks, goggles, disposable suits, boot covers and gloves and more is on its way, as well as thousands of bottles of hand sanitiser for those who can’t readily access hand washing facilities.

“There is a demand, across all essential services, for personal protective equipment and we will continue to work to secure and supply it to our people.”

A further 22 special constables also took the oath of office and the Chief Constable said policing’s link with our communities has never been more critical.

The Chief Constable said: “We gain our authority and legitimacy through the consent of our fellow citizens and I thank the overwhelming majority of people, from all walks of life, who are complying with very clear guidance to stay at home.

“We know this is a challenging time for people who have to adjust their daily habits and we know the police service will be required to take on additional responsibilities. Everything we do will be done in a fair, reasonable and proportionate manner.

“Those who persistently and blatantly defy the law, however, must know we will enforce the law.”

Recruitment Day in Muirhouse

Full time and part time roles available in branches across Lothian

Next Step Edinburgh are teaming up with Semichem and Scotmid for an open morning in Muirhouse this Friday 21 February.

Store Managers will be on hand to talk to prospective candidates about what it is like to work with them. Full time and part time positions are available and the successful applicants will enjoy training, staff benefits and excellent career prospects.

As the event has been organised by Next Step Edinburgh, there is also additional support available including support with CV writing, interview prep and much more.

The event takes place at 9.30 – 11.30am at Pennywell Resource Centre, 31 – 33 Pennywell Road, EH4 4PJ.

If you can’t make that date then there will be another session on Tue 25 February 9:30am – 11:30am at the Recruitment and Skills Centre (RSC) at Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre.

All welcome – just come along with your CV.

If you have any questions then please contact 

Next Step on 0300 365 0025 info@communityrenewal.org.uk

Campaign to recruit special constables

Want to discover a new side of you in 2020 and make a difference? Police Scotland’s Special Constabulary needs you …

A nationwide campaign to recruit new special constables has been launched by Police Scotland.

The Special Constabulary is a part-time volunteer body consisting of officers with identical powers to that of police officers. The role is diverse, from policing football matches to assisting at road accidents, from patrolling the streets of your local community to investigating crime. No two shifts are the same and volunteers play an integral role in providing an important link between the police service and the public.

Following a steady decrease in the number of special constables since the formation of Police Scotland, with a significant number of recruits using the opportunity as a route to becoming a regular police officer, the campaign focuses on encouraging people to give back to their local community by signing up in their spare time and enhancing local policing with their life experience.

From today, social media posts and campaign posters will feature on numerous channels including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, promoting the role of a special constable and why their skills and talent could be crucial to local policing.

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins said: “There are thousands of people living in Scotland who could bring the skills and talents from their own jobs into the role of a volunteer police officer and in support of their local community.

“Joining the Special Constabulary can also be a fantastic opportunity to consider whether policing is the job for you. It provides excellent experience and training for those who would like to become a full-time police officer.

“Police Scotland undoubtedly benefits from the experience volunteers bring, but it’s also an opportunity unlike any other where you gain confidence, new skills and get the chance to help people in need or make their life better.

“Anyone is eligible to apply to become a special constable as long as they satisfy some basic requirements for the role but ultimately we are looking for people who want to make a real difference to their communities and can bring a fresh perspective to the team they work in. The more varied your background, the more diverse our workforce will be. “Don’t miss the opportunity to do something great.”

For more information on becoming a Special Constable and to find out more about eligibility, visit – https://www.scotland.police.uk/recruitment/special-constables/

Wholetime firefighter applications from under-represented groups has doubled

THE Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has welcomed double the number of firefighter applications from women, ethnic minorities and the LGBTQ+ community compared to previous years, latest figures reveal.

The Service launched a wholetime firefighter recruitment campaign in April which saw the overall number of applicants rise by almost 25 per cent – from 4,373 previously to a total of 6,075.

And this included 771 applications from women compared to just 360 previously.

It also saw 403 people from the LGBTQ+ community submit applications compared to the previous 168 with 157 applications from those within the ethnic community compared to the previous 69.

As a result, almost a quarter of the 84 new firefighters who began their exhaustive 14-week training course last month are female.

The applications were shortlisted “blindly” by hand – meaning no identifying data was made available such as names, gender, age, ethnicity or sexuality.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, Liz Barnes congratulated all of the success recruits. She said: “We received a very high volume of applications and we were clear from the outset that there were no quotas here and that no one had any advantage.

“It was vital that applicants hit a very high standard for their applications to be accepted. Those who were successful should be thoroughly proud of themselves.

“We also encouraged under-represented groups to apply and the figures show that we have taken another step forward as an organisation in reflecting the very rich and diverse communities we serve.”

She added: “Our process is designed to ensure a level playing field from the outset.

“Our standards have never changed, and they are high – but if you have what it takes, then we will help you get there.”

At present less than five per cent of Scotland’s firefighters identify as women, and less than one per cent identify as belonging to an ethnic minority.

Ms Barnes added: “We are committed to ensuring that this Service is as open and inclusive as possible and we will continue to take all available steps to ensure our current workforce is supported to be who they truly are in the workplace.

“For example, we are very proud to be a Stonewall Diversity Champion in Scotland.”

A total of 304 applicants were successful and will undergo training in batches over the next year.

The first intake of 84 new firefighters, including 31 women, began their 14-week course at SFRS’ dedicated training centres in Cambuslang and Thornton this month.

During the course they will not only learn how to tackle fires effectively and safely, they will also learn essential skills such as trauma management, road traffic collisions, safe working at height and ladder skills.

And after passing out, they will have the opportunity to move forwards and specialise in areas such as water and rope rescue, HAZMAT and community safety.

Ms Barnes added: “My congratulations go out to everyone who has been successful in their application – this is an extremely rewarding career and they are joining the Service at an exciting time.

“Not only will they learn how to fight fires and respond to incidents such as road traffic collisions, we are also seeking to train our firefighters to meet the risks a modern Scotland faces.

“This includes the impacts of climate change – such as severe flooding – and helping to keep the most vulnerable members of our communities safe in their homes.

“This community work is vital to how we intend to continue protecting Scotland, and as such it incredibly important that we properly represent our incredibly diverse culture.”

Ms Barnes continued: “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank each person who applied – and I would ask them not to be discouraged from applying again in future.”

While recruitment for wholetime firefighters is currently closed, the Service continues to recruit for retained and volunteer firefighters across Scotland, as well as positions for support staff.

For more information, visit: https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/emergency-services/scottish-fire-and-rescue-service/jobs

Police Scotland: Discover YOUR Journey

Discover YOUR Journey

Scotland is an increasingly diverse country and Police Scotland want to represent this change.

Police Scotland is running one day events aimed at encouraging you to ‘Discover your Journey’ towards considering a career in policing. The courses are designed to provide an insight into the role of a police officer/special constable

During the day attendees will receive inputs from specialist departments, speak to police officers and learn about the recruitment process.

DATE: Tuesday 8th October 2019

ADDRESS: Fettes Police Station, Fettes Avenue, Edinburgh, EH4 1RB

For more information and to reserve a space please email:

recruitmentpositiveactionteam@scotland.pnn.police.uk

providing your name and contact number or request to join our closed Facebook page at: ‘Police Scotland Positive Action’

It’s time to look at the real reasons our country is in a care crisis, says recruitment chief

Promising a fix for our broken care system across the UK has become a right of passage for new prime ministers in recent times and Boris has been no exception as he has boldly pledged to give “every older person the dignity and security they deserve” by solving the care crisis “once and for all”.  Continue reading It’s time to look at the real reasons our country is in a care crisis, says recruitment chief