YOUNG RECRUITS PROGRAMME A SUCCESS
Written by author on May 14, 2014
Local businesses are benefitting from European and Scottish Government funding to help deliver new jobs for our young people in Dumfries and Galloway.
Dumfries and Galloway Council worked with partners to secure £400,000 worth of funding to help our region’s young people who traditionally find it harder to get a job in times of economic challenges.
The programme is called “The Young Recruits Programme” and is a region wide employer recruitment incentive funded through Youth Employment Scotland Funding.
The first placements on the scheme were taken on by Jacquie’s Beauty on the Whitesands in Dumfries and now Iona McMyn and Vicky Taylor have completed their training to become beauty therapists.
Owner Jacquie Brown said
“Quality and service is everything at Jacquies beauty, using our knowledge and experience we have been able to guide and transform two college students to become the beauty doctors of the future.”
Councillor Colin Smyth, Chairman of the Council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee commented:
“It is fantastic to see young people in our region getting the opportunity to work. Iona and Vicky have dedicated themselves to the task and proved once again that young people in our region are more than capable of proving themselves if they get the right breaks”
The original aim of the programme was to create 100 job opportunities for young people across the region through small and micro sized businesses, the target for the first phase has been exceeded and 130 jobs were created. Phase 2 of the programme is now beginning and will run to the end of December this year, an additional 130 jobs will be created bringing the total to 260. The D&G Employment TAP is well placed to ensure that employers are aware of existing and new resources which can help local businesses. Through the Young Recruits programme, financial support (50% at National Minimum Wage) will be provided for 6 months for businesses that employ a 16-24 year olds who meet the essential criteria. For more information contact dgemployability@dumgal.gov.uk
