This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Poles offered warm welcome
12/06/2006
A new information guide aims to attract more Fresh Talent from Poland and to help Polish workers settle into life in Scotland.
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform Tom McCabe was in Warsaw to launch the guide which is being distributed throughout Scotland and Poland and is also available online.
It provides information in Polish on employment, housing and training opportunities as well as highlighting leisure activities in Scotland.
Mr McCabe said:
"Scotland and Poland have a strong and historic relationship. The Polish community has long made its mark on Scotland with Polish delicatessens, cafes, society clubs and churches a trademark of many towns and cities.
"Many Polish veterans adopted Scotland as their home after 1945 and continue to play a significant role in remembrance events across Scotland. The Polish community plays a key part in the commemoration of Scottish and Polish servicemen and women who lost their lives during the Second World War.
"It is no surprise that our Fresh Talent initiative has had an impact in Poland. In the past two years, around 20,000 Poles have come to work in Scotland.
"However, promoting Scotland in Poland and attracting people to come to Scotland is not enough. We must support individuals to integrate and settle into Scottish life once they arrive.
"This information guide will equip Poles arriving in Scotland with the information they need to live and work in Scotland. It is a practical guide, written in Polish, to ensure individuals receive the warm welcome Scotland is renowned for.
"The talented and motivated individuals coming from Poland are making a positive contribution to our economy and our cultural diversity. We will continue to work to attract fresh talent from Poland and hope to welcome even more Poles to Scotland in the coming months and years."
Aleksander Dietkow, consul general for Poland in Scotland, said:
"Around 80 per cent of the recent Poles to have come to Scotland are under 35 years old, while 40 per cent are under 25. They are also well educated, with 30 to 40 per cent having attended university.
"Many have come here because of the relationship between Scotland and Poland. They find there are similarities between the people so they find it easier to be accepted into the culture and build good relationships."
The Fresh Talent initiative aims to help tackle Scotland's ageing and declining population by attracting bright, talented and hard-working individuals to live, work and study in Scotland.
The new guide supports other work currently underway as part Fresh Talent Initiative. including the Relocation Advisory Service - a one-stop-shop for advice and information on a wide range of issues for people thinking about or planning to move to Scotland.