Listen
Government jobs for unemployed
29/04/2009
More Scottish Government jobs will be made available to individuals who face increased barriers to employment.
Speaking at the Welfare to Work Convention in Stirling the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop, announced that she had signed the Scottish Government's first ever Local Employment Partnership (LEP) with Jobcentre Plus.
Through the LEP the Scottish Government will put in place a number of measures to help support benefit claimants into work. Such measures might include pre-employment training, mentoring opportunities, supported placements through Get Ready for Work, and a review of our recruitment and selection methodologies to help make job opportunities in the Scottish Government more accessible to young people and adults further from the labour market.
Speaking at the Welfare to Work Conference at the Stirling Management Centre Ms Hyslop said:
"The Scottish Government is undertaking a range of work, through its six point economic recovery programme, to help individuals and organisations during the current downturn.
"This Government fully recognises the pressures on people during the current economic climate and fully understands the responsibility that we have to lead by example. That is why I am delighted to sign the Local Employment Partnership today on behalf of the Scottish Government.
"By signing this LEP, the Scottish Government is demonstrating its commitment to help those with increased barriers to employment get into work.
"People are our most valuable resource and I am determined to ensure that everyone in our society has the opportunity to get into work or back into work so that they can contribute to Scotland's future economic success and help it recover from the current downturn."
LEPs are especially aimed at helping the most disadvantaged groups - such as lone parents and people with disabilities - into work.
In return for support from Jobcentre Plus, employers can choose from a range of options to help such individuals to progress. The options range from pre-employment and on the job training to simply reviewing their recruitment procedures to ensure that they are sufficiently accessible.
As well as signing the LEP, the Scottish Government will be recruiting a Project Manager to take this and related work forward within the organisation. We will also continue to encourage other public sector bodies in Scotland to engage effectively with those further from the labour market.
Get Ready for Work is the Scottish Government's training programme for young people (16-19) who are unemployed. It is delivered by Skills Development Scotland.