Employability programme helping employers build trained and inclusive workforces
Action for Children’s YouthBuild programme is opening doors for more young Scots to access opportunities like apprenticeships and helping employers find new talent.
The aim of Action for Children’s employability service is to help young people to overcome any barriers holding them back from entering employment and to give them the tools they need to take the next steps towards achieving their aspirations and starting on their chosen career path.
The service has support in place to help young people with a range of needs and challenges, including those with care experience.
This partnership with Action for Children supports our equality outcome to increase opportunities for individuals whose career and development opportunities may be limited due to their background or the place where they live.....
Gillian McFarlane
Technical & Vocational Skills Academy Manager, Scottish Water
Skills for life and work
YouthBuild is the organisation’s 4 to 5-week construction training programme for 16 to 24 year olds offered in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverclyde, providing the opportunity to gain industry relevant qualifications including a CSCS card, Rehis and PASMA qualifications.
The course also aims to develop transferable employability skills and softer life skills such as confidence, resilience, self-belief, and personal wellbeing, recognising that these can make a difference between gaining a job and sustaining it.
Each young person is given a keyworker that they can go to with any concerns regarding anything that may be worrying them either in or out with the programme.
The programme includes a two-week work trial with an employer and six months aftercare, to allow the organisation to support the young person and the employer as the young person takes the first steps on their career path.
Scottish Water’s involvement with YouthBuild has enabled the employer to offer individuals opportunities into employment and skills development.
Recently, the business recruited two young people on to its Modern Apprenticeships programme following their successful work experience trial.
Scottish Water’s Technical & Vocational Skills Academy Manager, Gillian McFarlane said: “As both an employer and training provider of water industry apprenticeship programmes we see the benefits every day: fresh perspectives, growing talent, and a stronger, more inclusive workforce.”
Deborah Condie, Children’s Services Manager at Action for Children said: “The partnerships we have with other third sector organisations and employers add depth and relevance to our programmes, allowing us to provide wrap around support alongside preparing our young people to understand what employers expect of employees and ensuring the training we are giving our young people also meets employers’ needs.”
Gillian added: “This partnership with Action for Children supports our equality outcome to increase opportunities for individuals whose career and development opportunities may be limited due to their background or the place where they live; as well as our long term objective to continue to support young people to get started in their career, particularly those from areas of social deprivation, through apprenticeships and other opportunities.”
“We would absolutely recommend it to other employers looking to make a meaningful impact in their communities.”
Deborah added: “The relationship with employers is key to the success of our programme, and we have had the opportunity to work with some wonderful employers over the years.
“Businesses like Scottish Water understand the value of having a staff team with diverse back grounds and the impact this can have in reducing staff turnover. They recognise the potential our young people have and want to help them to realise that potential.”
“The best accolade we can receive is that our young people have enjoyed attending our programme and have benefited from it.”