This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Funding to tackle skills gaps
05/07/2004
Grants worth more than £490,000 were today awarded to 17
projects which deliver training and development
opportunities to Scotland's workforce.
The Scottish Skills Fund (SSF) provides grant support to
projects aimed at meeting the skills and training needs of
industry.
Deputy Enterprise Minister Lewis Macdonald announced the
latest round of awards under the scheme during a visit to
the Overgate Learning Centre in Dundee - where he saw how
previous Scottish Skills funding is being used to help
local unemployed people gain the skills they need for a
career in the retail industry.
Trainees undertake a week-long Retail Awareness Course,
which offers them training in customer services, cash
handling, personal presentation and help with application
forms and interview techniques.
Mr Macdonald said:
"The Scottish Skills Fund supports the Executive's
fundamental aim of growing our economy by ensuring that
every Scot is ready for the jobs of tomorrow.
"For example, in Dundee, Scottish Skills funding has
been effectively used by Skillsmart - the Sector Skills
Council for retail - to set up the Tayside Retail Academy,
helping people to develop the skills they need to find jobs
in the retail sector.
"Working with key local partners, the project is playing
a vital role in getting people into work. It is a prime
example of how the Scottish Skills Fund can help develop
the talents of individuals whilst at the same time
benefiting the economy as a whole.
"Since it was established back in April 2001, the Fund
has paid out almost £1.5 million and helped 83 projects
meet their objectives. I congratulate today's 17 successful
projects, which will help ensure that we have a workforce
which is ready to succeed."
Ian McAvoy, Scottish Business Development Manager for
Skillsmart said:
"The Funding we have received from the Executive for the
Tayside Retail Academy project has enabled us to provide
customised personal development for each of our individual
clients."
The successful projects under round four of the Scottish
Skills Fund include:
- Skills for Logistics - £35,440 to develop a
training programme designed to encourage women to enter
a career in van and LGV driving.
- S4T - £30,134 to help develop training workshops
for the arts and leisure tourism industry.
- Construction Industry Training Board - Construction
Skills - £33,600 to identify and meet the skills
development needs of people who run small construction
companies in Scotland.
- Scottish Bakery Training Council - £35,781 to
develop skills in the Scottish baking industry.
- Seafish Industry Authority - £39,500 to encourage
companies in the industry to undertake training needs
analysis.
- Confederation of Paper Industries - £27,600 to
raise skills within Scotland's paper industry.
The other successful projects are: Hair and Beauty
Industry Authority (Project 1, £19,663 and Project 2,
£37,734); Skillsfast UK (£26,000); Financial Services
Skills Council (£29,100); Lantra (£25,640); e-skills UK
(£30,000); Skillset (£33,500); SkillsActive (£20,500);
Skills for Justice (£9,300); Summit Skills (£30,000) and
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (£32,899).
The Scottish Skills Fund was set up by the Executive in
April 2001 to help maintain existing skills projects; to
continue to develop a learning culture; to tackle skills
gaps, shortages and other issues; and to encourage skills
development in employment sectors during the replacement of
the National Training Organisation network with Sector
Skills Councils.
The SSF has been allocated £0.5 million each year until
2005/06 to support sector skills.
Skillsmart was awarded £39,600 under round three of the
scheme. This was to help develop a pilot project, the
Tayside Retail Academy, to help unemployed people from the
Dundee area develop skills to find jobs in the retail
sector.