ADOPT AN APPRENTICE
The Adopt an Apprentice scheme, launched on 10 June 2009, has helped deliver on the Scottish Government's guarantee to apprentices to find them alternative employment so that they can complete their Modern Apprenticeship.
The scheme gives employers a £2,000 helping hand to take on a redundant apprentice and is the latest instalment in a concerted Scottish Government campaign of action on apprenticeships.
Adopt An Apprentice is a £1.7 million initiative - supported by the European Social Fund - which helped over 400 redundant apprentices find new jobs during 2009/10. Unlike other countries, this scheme is open to all ages of apprentice and all sectors.
Sector Skills Councils, particularly ConstructionSkills, are working to place apprentices with other employers.
TRAINING FOR WORK
We have made changes to Training for Work eligibility rules to allow access to training to people at notice of redundancy meaning they can re-train during the 90 day notification period.
PARTNERSHIP ACTION FOR CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT (PACE)
PACE is central to the Scottish Government's Economic Recovery Programme, in particular the commitment to provide support for businesses and employees facing redundancy situations. PACE provides a national strategic framework which facilitates a consistent partnership approach to ensure local and national public sector agencies respond to potential and proposed redundancies as quickly, effectively and consistently as possible.
Led by Skills Development Scotland, PACE aims to minimise the time people affected by redundancy are out of work through providing skills development and employability support. Skills Development Scotland co-ordinates PACE at a national level and facilitates local level response teams in conjunction with other key partners including Jobcentre Plus to provide tailored help and support for those facing redundancy situations.
What does PACE offer?
The response to each redundancy situation is tailored to meet individual needs and local circumstances. But generally the services offered include -
· full Jobcentre Plus services;
· one-to-one counselling and advice on career development and opportunities;
· access to high quality training;
· seminars on skills such as CV-writing and starting up a business (including franchising); and
· access to IT facilities.
PACE has never had to operate in such a difficult economic climate. Following the very successful PACE Summit held in February 2009, we felt it would be important to provide an opportunity for all organisations with an interest in PACE to contribute and influence its future development In June 2009, a national strategic group was established to oversee a continuous improvement programme to enhance the operation of PACE.
The 'PACE Partnership' brings together the Scottish Government with 18 partner organisations. Six workstreams are taking forward the continuous improvement work covering the areas of the PACE Offer, PACE Delivery, PACE Marketing and Promotion, PACE Data Capture and Evaluation, PACE Early Intervention and PACE Staff Development.
To make PACE support more accessible to individuals and employers, the first improvements we introduced to the service included a national helpline (0808 100 1855) and revamped website www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/redundancy. Information Packs reflecting the services available locally and nationally can also be found on the website.
Improvements to date include: enhancements to the PACE Offer including improved support for financial management, literacy and numeracy and mental health welfare; an audit of current delivery which will inform a new delivery model; implementation of a new marketing strategy including production of a new promotional leaflet on support available for individuals and businesses facing redundancy situations; introduction of a new system for recording PACE interventions; development of research to provide baseline information about the quality and initial impact of PACE services; new staff development programme; and ongoing work to explore early intervention issues.
In 2009 PACE assisted 320 companies and 17,183 employees under threat of redundancy. Companies of varying sizes and from a wide range of sectors have been supported through PACE including Freescale in East Kilbride, Hewlett Packard in Erskine, Siemens in Glasgow and Bausch and Lomb in Livingston.