The Springboard programme is for young adults aged 16-25 who are currently either at risk of homelessness or accessing homelessness services across Edinburgh.
Participants will be able to gain qualifications in Emergency First Aid at Work as well as Elementary Food Hygiene. We will support the group with employability skills such as CV writing, Job Interview Skills and Job Applications.
We also run workshops focused on mental health and wellbeing as well as weekly social outings to encourage participants to form lasting friendships.
The programme also includes a 3-day Residential trip with the Scottish Outdoor Education Centre to allow the participants to try their hand at some adventurous outdoor activities like rock climbing, abseiling, archery and much more!
Bus fare can be covered by Four Square and lunch will be provided on each day of the course.
EDINBURGH Residents are being invited to take part in a free stone masonry workshop next Monday (21 November) to celebrate work starting to restore the Granton Castle Walled Garden B-listed wall and dovecot.
Organised by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Friends of the Walled Garden with Scottish Crown Estate marine asset funding it is hoped the workshop will give people of all ages a chance to learn new or develop existing stone masonry skills.
The Council is also working with Friends of the Walled Garden on a vision to transform the historic site into a working market garden and local attraction. The project to restore the Granton Castle Walled Garden is part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s wider £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront.
Council leader Cammy Day said: “Being a heritage city, stone masonry is one of the skills it’s really important we keep alive in Edinburgh.
“This workshop is an ideal way to help people from across the city and the local area come together and celebrate this great craft as works begins to restore this historic site to be enjoyed by locals and visitors for generations to come.
“It’s great to see the community in and around Granton Waterfront being so creative and dedicated to their area and I’d encourage anyone looking to try their hand at repairing the beautiful old stone wall to give this a go.
The wider £1.3bn transformation of Granton Waterfront as a new sustainable coastal town is well underway with several housing developments under construction, the restoration of Granton Station almost complete and work soon to begin to bring the iconic gasholder back to life.
“I’m very much looking forward to seeing the Granton Castle Walled Garden being enjoyed by the local community as a working market garden and quality visitor destination in the years ahead.”
Anyone who would like to take a group along is being asked to contact the organisers in advance. There’s even free tea, coffee and cake!
Restoring heritage at Granton Castle Walled Garden (23 West Shore Road) EH5 1 QB drop-in event – Monday 21 November – 11am to 4pm.
Come and help repair the beautiful old stone wall using traditional heritage skills in stone masonry using lime mortar.
Edinburgh College has been confirmed as one of six venues across the UK, and the only Scottish college, to host WorldSkills UK 2022 National Competition Finals in November.
WorldSkills UK sees the country’s top students and apprentices compete in a wide range of competitions for medals and a potential place at a global WorldSkills finals event in France in 2024.
Designed by industry experts, WorldSkills UK competitions help young people grow personally and professionally by developing their technical and employability skills, as well as shining a light on the skills potential across the UK.
The finals are the culmination of a seven-month process including regional heats and intensive training.
The College is hosting eleven finals at its Granton Campus, including Forthside building, during the week commencing Monday 14 November.
Students and apprentices will descend on Scotland’s capital to participate in the following finals: Bricklaying, Carpentry, Foundation Skills: Woodworking, Furniture and Cabinet Making, Joinery, Painting and Decorating, Plastering, Plastering and Drywall Systems, Roofing and Tiling, Stonemasonry, Wall and Floor Tiling.
The week culminates with a live medal ceremony broadcast presented by Steph McGovern who will reveal who winners are from her Packed Lunch studio on Friday 25 November.
Young people across the region will be able to attend competitions and experience the spectacle of the finals at Granton Campus, and drop-in to events showcasing what the college offers as well as gain careers advice and the opportunity to talk to employers and industry experts.
People who cannot attend local events will get the chance to follow things online through a special broadcast featuring live finals action, as well as interviews and advice from previous winners, experts and career advisors.
Other venues across the UK hosting finals are as follows: Barking and Dagenham, Belfast Metropolitan, Blackpool and the Fylde, Cardiff and Vale, and Middlesbrough colleges.
Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “We’re thrilled to have been selected as one of six venues to host finals of WorldSkills UK. We’re looking forward to welcoming students, apprentices, visitors and other stakeholders to our Granton Campus in November.
“Skills competitions like WorldSkills UK are enormous spectacles and provide a platform for skilled students to thrive, and for other young people and those perhaps looking to change jobs to learn more about careers which these highly-skilled disciplines provide. WorldSkills sets the bar extremely high with globally recognised standards and businesses increasingly looking to employ students reaching the heights the standards set.
“More than that, in the context of plugging future skills gaps and the requirement for more skilled workers to be produced to meet national targets across a range of issues including house-building, sustainability, digital infrastructure, to name a few – it is vital that we continue to highlight skills training with events like these.”
WorldSkills UK Deputy CEO Ben Blackledge said: “We are really excited to be taking the show on the road with finals hosted by colleges across the UK. We hope witnessing the drama of the finals live will inspire young people to keep developing their technical and employability skills.
“With 62 finals spread over six venues there should be something for everyone, but we will also be providing loads of online content for people who are unable to get to one of the host venues that week.
“We are looking forward to producing our special broadcast with live action and top tips from industry experts and careers advisors. We are also delighted to confirm that Steph McGovern will be doing the duties on awards night and revealing the winners live from her Packed Lunch studio.
“With skills at the heart of UK government plans to level up and rebuild the economy, we are delighted to be playing our part and giving more young people the opportunity to explore the many opportunities and careers that high-quality skills offer.”
A new partnership approach will be embedded across the education and skills system to ensure employers and government are working together to deliver training opportunities for the new green jobs of the future.
Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation recognises the critical importance of providing the current and future workforce with lifetime access to learning new skills, upskilling and retraining as part of plans to unlock Scotland’s economic potential.
The strategy sets out how public, private and third sector partnerships can work together to help make Scotland’s workforce more agile and support employers to invest in emerging economic opportunities.
This work is designed to help build a fairer and more equal society by ensuring economic transformation tackles inequality and drives up working standards and improves pay.
Actions include:
working collaboratively with employers and unions to increase investment in upskilling and retraining to better meet the needs of employers and employees in Scotland’s transition to net zero
supporting and incentivising employees, and their employers, to invest in skills and training throughout their working lives
expanding Scotland’s available talent pool, at all skills levels, to give employers the skills pipeline they need to take advantage of opportunities
implementing the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan to align Scotland’s skills system with business needs to reach net zero
implementing the next phase of the Green Jobs Workforce Academy and launching a new skills guarantee for workers in carbon intensive industries
developing proposals for a national digital academy to open up access to a range of subjects for all learners
Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The next decade will be decisive for Scotland’s economy and a key part of achieving our enormous economic potential will be investing in one of our greatest economic assets – our people.
“We want to build on the success of our Young Person’s Guarantee, Future Skills Action Plan and our investment in the Green Jobs Workforce Academy to create a skills system that offers lifetime access to new skills and retraining.
“A collaborative approach across all sectors will support our commitment to lifelong learning to ensure people across Scotland can access the tools they need for the jobs of the future and to participate in the labour market. This will also support employers to access incentives to invest in emerging economic opportunities which has the potential to lead to new jobs, new skills, and new ideas.”
More than 40 young Indian women now equipped with new skills and regular income
Scotmid Co-operative has helped more than forty young women in India develop new skills and secure a regular income through a partnership with co-ops across the UK.
When the Delta variant hit India with devastating effect last year, Scotmid and a group of co-operative retailers collectively raised over £100,000 to support the crisis response, initially providing essential basic supplies, health kits and education.
The support evolved to helping young female workers to grow a sustainable future out of the pandemic through a two-year incubator programme to help them develop skills in journalism, graphic design, photography, new media, research methodology and report writing.
Pranaliben, a 20-year-old woman from Ahmedabad City, is one of the women who will benefit from this support. After completing her graduate studies from a local university, Pranaliben struggled to find sustained employment which was made worse by the pandemic.
Through her mother, a member of the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), she got in touch with SEWA Cooperative Federation and learnt about cooperatives. Now she is eager to work together with young women like herself and lead her own cooperative.
Co-operatives UK worked with the Co-operative College and Co-op News to co-ordinate the appeal, partnering with SEWA in India who are delivering the programme.
Mirai Chatterjee, Chairperson SEWA Cooperative Federation said: “Women in India mainly work informally meaning their earnings can be unreliable and as soon as the crisis hit many lost their income overnight.
“Thanks to the vital support provided by our co-operative friends in the UK, we’re helping them to form two grassroots co-operatives to create a sustainable livelihood for themselves.
“As well as learning technical skills in communications and research, around forty young women will develop leadership and business management skills, and we’re developing market links to help them secure regular work and provide income security.”
Harry Cairney, Scotmid President, said: “This worthwhile partnership demonstrates the strength of co-operation. We’re proud to be a part of this initiative to grant young women in India, like Pranaliben, the necessary skills and opportunities needed to secure a regular income.”
During the initial crisis period, £70,000 of the donation from Scotmid and other UK co-ops was used to provide emergency support. This included the distribution of 4,000 household health kits, with masks, soap and immune boosters distributed across eight states of India.
Lifesaving information about the symptoms and spread of Covid was also provided to families in rural and low-income urban areas – to dispel myths and provide accurate health information.
The remaining £30,000 is now being used to deliver a two-year programme supporting the development of two young women’s incubator co-operatives.
A grassroots media co-operative will support young women to build capacity in media, journalism, graphic design, photography and new media, whilst a second grassroots co-operative will focus on research, conducting surveys, focus group discussion and report writing.
This course will focus on learning to safely carve with wood carving knives to make a range of simple useful and decorative items from twigs and small pieces of wood.
Projects may include chop sticks, butter knives, spoons, flowers, animals, birds, etc. Other tools and projects may include shrink pots, coat hooks, small bowls, brooms. It takes place outdoors.
This is a 6 week course on Tuesdays from 1am – 12 noon, starting from 22nd February.
We will use the Salisbury Centre Garden as a base to explore various elements of permaculture and garden design. Ideally there will be some practical sessions in the course as well as theoretical. Students can decide if they want to make bird boxes or other projects.
This is a 6 week course on Mondays from 1pm – 3pm starting from 21st February.
This is a fun, informative 6 week course working with wood and developing basic DIY skills, for home improvement or for making frames or other personal wood based projects.
Learn to use carpentry tools, drills, sanding machinery as well as how best to upcycle furniture and optimum ways to paint. Everyone welcome – complete beginners who want to learn about safety and simple DIY and also more advanced DIY enthusiasts who would appreciate some tips and techniques.
This is a 6 week course on Mondays from 10am – 12 noon starting from 21st February. Enrol on www.joininedinburgh.org at least a week before (14th February) to secure a place.
● Grosvenor Casino Glasgow Merchant City’s Gaming Academy upskills aspiring casino dealers to help kick start their careers
● Four-week programme trains applicants in how to run popular games at the casino as well as safer gambling modules to develop their skills and career opportunities
● The Gaming Academy is part of a wider recruitment charge from Grosvenor Casinos with a range of other job opportunities available for Scottish job seekers
It is aces high for job seekers based in Glasgow and Edinburgh, who have been offered a helping hand to kick start their careers as a casino dealer.
Grosvenor Casino Glasgow in Merchant City is running a four-week gaming academy to help teach local job seekers how to deal some of the most popular casino games with the offer of full-time employment if they qualify.
6 aspiring male and female casino dealers, aged between 18 – 37 years old, are being put through their paces on the Grosvenor Casinos gaming academy which includes training on Blackjack, Poker and Roulette.
From learning casino terminology, the difference between odds and pay-outs, as well as the correct way to spin the roulette ball, the academy will help applicants to learn how best to manage the fast-paced nature of bets placed by guests when they visit the casino.
Those taking part will also be tutored on the times tables up to thirty-five and receive tips and tricks on how to improve their dexterity when it comes to collecting and gathering bets and chips, to ensure they can deliver the best possible service in the quickest way possible.
As part of Grosvenor’s commitment to safer gambling, the academy will also focus on safeguarding guests and educating team members about the importance of ensuring all guests always play responsibly.
Emma Sulton, (37), a mother of one from Livingston, said: “I lost my job in February last year, so I applied for a job as a receptionist at the Grosvenor Casino in Edinburgh.
“That role was filled but the team contacted me and made me aware of the gaming academy and I jumped at the chance, as I love roles that keep my mind engaged and let me interact with the public. It’s been amazing to work with such a range of different people and learn so many news skills that will help me start a brand-new career.
Drew Murray (18) from Uddingston in Glasgow, added: “Before I joined the gaming academy I worked in construction and the course has been a new challenge which I have really enjoyed, especially working out the odds as well as how the games work.
“We’re also paid the over 25 living wage which for me at 18 is brilliant and I am excited to start this new career with Grosvenor Casinos.”
General Manager at Grosvenor Casino Glasgow Merchant City said: “We have a strong track record for providing training opportunities for the local workforce to upskill and join our team. A career as a casino dealer is a highly skilled profession that offers flexible working as well as the chance to travel and work all over the world.
“It’s been a challenging year for everyone in the industry and now our casino is re-opened, we are determined to offer all applicants of the gaming academy the chance to work for Grosvenor Casinos and become part of the team here.”
Alongside the Gaming Academy, Grosvenor Casinos is carrying out a recruitment drive for job seekers across Scotland with a range of roles available to those looking for job opportunities.
All those interested can check their local club’s social media pages for more details and to learn more about Grosvenor Casinos, what it’s like to work for the business and the reasons why a career in the casino industry could be for you visit https://www.rank.com/careers.
Edinburgh College is delighted to be hosting #FIRSTLEGOLEAGUE at Sighthill Campus in December.
This is a wonderful occasion for teams of young people to represent their schools and take part in a highly interactive challenge, designed to develop their coding and programming skills.
Engage your team about designing creative solutions to tackle real-world problems by programming a robot in this year’s #FIRSTLEGOLEAGUE #CARGOCONNECT season.
Remember there’s free training available for community councillors too:
Free courses for community councillors from the Improvement Service and The Open University in Scotland are available in digital skills, business skills, finance and fundraising, and community and society.
Sign up online and complete them in your own time:
