Jobs and Training Fund success exceeds expectations for East Ayrshire's young people
Nearly 240 local young people have now benefitted from training and support, enabling and equipping them with the skills required to access full time jobs across the local area thanks to East Ayrshire Council’s Jobs and Training Fund – exceeding all expectations at the outset of the programme.
The Fund, established in 2022 and running until March 2025, originally aimed to create two hundred career opportunities for training for young residents, either in the Council or local business.
Offering Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships and Graduate Internships, the programme offers paid training and work experience for up to four years in a variety of skills, cutting across council services and local businesses.
From, civil engineering to accountancy and electrician to social care, the Council’s teams and local companies have welcomed new young colleagues as they work and train towards qualifications ranging from Modern Apprenticeships to HNC and degree qualifications, as well as gaining valuable work experience on specific projects for new graduates.
Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council, praised the success of the programme.
He said: “Our Jobs and Training programme has surpassed everyone’s expectations! It was initially funded for three years and the review presented to Cabinet recently shows that the initiative has been an incredible success, exceeding the original target outcomes set by the Council.
“As part of our ambitions for Community Wealth Building we recognise that growing our young workforce helps us make the most of what our talented young people have to offer.
“This programme has provided a vital springboard for many, helping them to stay in the local area if they choose to do so and making a meaningful and prosperous contribution to our local economy, both now and in the future.
Councillor Neal Ingram, Cabinet Spokesperson for Human Resources added: “Between ourselves and local businesses we have now supported 231 people with apprenticeships and intern roles, creating defined career pathways and boosting our own workforce with bright, able, and well-trained young people who will play a big part in the future of our organisation.
“The variety of opportunities available covers many areas of the work of the Council, with services embracing the opportunity to welcome fresh talent and skills to their teams. For those who have completed their internships or apprenticeship programme, many have then been offered jobs within the Council, while others have gone on to new destinations with a wealth of experience and confidence gained as a result of their time with us.
To find out more about Modern Apprenticeships, Graduate Internships or other career opportunities for East Ayrshire residents, with East Ayrshire Council and local businesses, please visit our Jobs and Careers webpages.
Hear what the apprentices say about their experiences:
https://youtube.com/shorts/vEMBn9vp_ko?si=ZdXIuBChBXqkmnnw
https://youtube.com/shorts/vm-f8stljiA?si=_5rZrAIdgu1n75Jf
https://youtube.com/shorts/hkQJT00e1xw?si=omOAsHHGanY9q9mi
https://youtube.com/shorts/DY5dwJC-Tck?si=6xzd-493beUbiHNG
Notes to editors
What opportunities are on offer?
Apprenticeships include everything from the traditional Craft, Engineering and Administration to qualifications in Customer Service, Youth Work and Digital.
the qualification types that employees are working towards:
We currently have 4 Graduate Apprentices working towards degree level qualifications.
- 2 in Real Estate Surveying
- 1 in Quantity Surveying
- 1 in Civil Engineering
There are also five Civil Engineering apprentices working towards an SCQF Level 6 and HNC/HND in Civil Engineering.
14 craft apprentices will achieve a qualification in construction determined by the field they are working in and will range from SCQF level 6 – level 7:
- Carpentry and Joinery at SCQF Level 6
- Plastering SCQF level 6
- Bricklaying SCQF level 6
- Plumbing & Heating SCQF level 7
- Electrical Installation SCQF Level 7
39 people who have recently completed or are currently working towards either an SCQF Level 5 or Level 6 in Business Administration which allows them to move into a wide range of Business Support related areas across the council.
- Two people are studying for a Customer Services qualification at SCQF level 5
- One employee is completing qualifications in Creative Media at SCQF Level 7
- Three have recently completed their Accountancy qualification at SCQF level 6 and will work towards their professional accountancy qualifications in the longer term.
- Seven have worked/are working towards a qualification in IT, studying at different levels between SCQF level 6 and an HNC in IT related fields
- 21 have completed or are in the process of completing Social Services qualifications including:
- o Social Services – Children & Young People – SCQF Level 7
- o Social Services – Health Care – SCQF levels 6&7
- o Social Services – Youth Work – SCQF Level 6
- 18 apprentices are developing skills to work in our external environment including Horticulture, Trees and Timber and Sustainable Resource Management at SCQF Level 5 and 6.
- 3 working towards Community Development qualifications at SCQF Level 5
- 3 people working towards a Leisure Management qualification at SCQF level 7.
- 4 working towards an SCQF level 5 in Facilities Management
- 4 working towards SCQF level 5 in Professional Cookery.
Graduate Internships
Graduate Internships are for young people who have recently graduated from College or University to at least HNC level.
Our interns have worked on projects including Digital, Climate Change, Data Analytics, Equalities, Marketing and Project Management.
Local Businesses
With support from the Jobs and Training team, local businesses have provided apprenticeships and associated qualifications in areas such as:
- Hairdressing and Beauty
- Automotive
- Plumbing
- Joinery
- Bricklaying
- Customer Service
- Retail
- Cookery/Hospitality
Measure of Success
Those who have taken part in the programme have achieved a great deal of success in establishing their future careers.
- 15 Graduate Interns (GI) have gained posts either within EAC or in other organisations, 48% of all GIs started to date.
- 44 Modern Apprentices have already gained posts either within the council or outwith, or moved onto further education, this represents 34% of all apprentices who have started to date.
- 18 apprentices have either progressed to a higher level of the same qualification framework or a higher level of a different qualification framework. Some have progressed to HNC at college studying day/block release.
- 19 young people who have moved into jobs are also continuing with their qualifications while in full time roles.
- As an alternative to progressing with qualification levels, some apprentices have been doing more specific development related to the role they are carrying out, they have been provided with interpersonal skills development, interview and job application development sessions as well as a FACE values session developed in conjunction with Organisational Development. In addition, a number of our apprentices completed the Money MOT qualification which has been developed by Vibrant Communities.