A group of playful, four-legged pups spent the day with our young people who are now certain they want a career working with animals.
The Skills Academy invited Paws for Progress to deliver its interactive Personal Development Programme. The dog-assisted learning programme seemed the right fit for youngsters preparing to enter the world of work. The experience brought a confidence boost and reset to students busy navigating application forms, going for interviews and starting a new job. During the session, young people were so focused and concentrated on bonding with the animals that they didn’t realise how much they were learning and could apply to their job search.
Paws for Progress tailored lessons to the group, designing the class around animal-related careers, as our academy students were in the middle of deciding what career or industry they’d like to pursue.
The session helped young people understand how dogs think and how that knowledge can lead to meaningful work in the real world. Topics included dog communication, how dogs learn and caring for dogs. Along with engaging activities such as dog sports, scent work, canine first aid, assistance dog training and exploring animal-related careers.
Young people thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the animals. Highlights included designing obstacle courses, learning how dogs use their sense of smell in working roles, practising canine first aid with stuffed dogs and understanding the tasks performed by assistance dogs.
Now, it’s time to work towards waking up everyday in a rewarding job role that involves caring for animals. The students were delighted to receive a certificate from Paws for Progress to add to their CV, marking their experience.
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Young people pursuing a career in construction took part in sustainability training delivering by The Verdancy Group.
Young people hoping to one day have a career in construction can gain the necessary qualifications and experience at The Skills Academy. Alongside the set timetable with familiar instructors, the academy welcomes external businesses to host workshops. Students speak directly with professionals and potential future employers, giving them a deeper insight into the industry they are interested in.
The Verdancy Group, which delivers sustainability training and guidance to organisations, came along to teach our construction students how to consider the environment when completing building projects. The practical session involved tutorials, group tasks and technical training on topics spanning heat loss and ventilation.
Students saw for first-hand the difference that sustainable approaches can have on energy efficiency. Retrofitting buildings with improved green technologies helps control indoor temperatures and lowers energy bills. Plus, proper insulation creates a healthier living space, maintaining property value. The training motivated the future developers to state their preference would be to design and build in ways that strives to minimise the carbon footprint.
Questions from young people were answered by real-world consultants. The genuine enthusiasm that the experts had about the growing importance of sustainability in construction energised young people to caring about the environment too.
As the academy students continue working towards a career in construction, their understanding of building sustainably, adds a competitive edge to their CV in an increasingly eco-conscious field.
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Youngsters, who are working towards their SQA qualification in construction, built a wooden workshop, using a power saw to repurpose leftover timber.
Construction Instructor Craig is an experienced joiner who mentors young people interested in learning a trade. Craig motivates the aspiring apprentices to get involved in a wide range of development projects, becoming confident in using different tools safely, taking measurements, and building pieces into place. He wants young people to take pride in what they are working on and makes the time to share the purpose and function of the build. By being interested from the start, young people are more likely to pay close attention to detail throughout the manual process and realise the reward in watching their progression be the reason for a visible transformation.
The Skills Academy is Kibble’s education and training centre that helps young people prepare for the world of work. Pupils who may not have enjoyed going to school before, now have the opportunity to try a new learning environment. Within the academy, there are dedicated areas for each subject. There’s our car garage for mechanics, greenhouses for gardening, and a large open-plan space to build, bricklay and operate machinery for construction.
An essential part of being a joiner is woodwork, and when teaching, pieces of wood need to be cut with power saws. To help contain the dust, an enclosed workshop within the shared space would be useful, and the opportunity to build one happened when a previous project had leftover timber. Immediately, Craig envisioned a plan for a wooden structure, big enough to house the large power saw and cut wood.
Instructor Craig and the students worked together and an an impressive structure is beginning to take shape within the construction site at The Skills Academy in Hillington.
Craig explained the thought required: “A lot of work went into the build, and there are still stages to go through before it becomes a workable area. All the slats of timber had to be cut to the exact brick size of 200mm x 70mm for the brick-slip look.”
“I really try to use my imagination to set up fun and valuable projects that young people will buy into. I know myself how much more enjoyable it is to complete a project you can visualise.”
“I want them to stay committed and see the project through, even with all the ups and downs that come with being a teenager figuring out their path. Hopefully they’ll learn a bigger life lesson and prove to themselves that they can finish what they start – even if life gets complicated.”
Kibble is striving to become more environmentally conscious and The Skills Academy has a dedicated Green Skills and Sustainability Instructor. Recycling materials in our lessons is one way we incorporate sustainability.
Through practical projects and a commitment to sustainable practices, these young people are not only building their skills but also shaping a brighter future for themselves and the community.
I want them to be dedicated to completing the project and stick to the course in amongst the challenges of being a teenager and contemplating the future.
Kibble is striving to become more environmentally conscientious and The Skills Academy has a dedicated Green Skills and Sustainability Instructor. Recycling materials as part of our lessons is an example of us incorporating sustainability.
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Young people repurposed their leftover coffee beans to grow mushrooms in a shift to become more sustainable. The academy is proactively finding ways to reuse products and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, which damages the environment.
The job market is increasingly demanding workers be able to fill vacancies in sectors related to sustainability and green skills. The majority of businesses are striving to find ways to adapt and become more environmentally-friendly, which has led to the UK’s green economy to be valued in the billions. Young people share the ambition of taking better care of the world around them and show genuine interest in learning about horticulture and taking part in lessons that involve fun practical projects.
The Skills Academy is determined to equip young people with an understanding of how to care for the planet’s future, providing a strong foundation that could potentially be applied to industries like renewable energy, low-carbon technologies and waste management, where job creation is growing rapidly.
Instructors and students are encouraging one another to consider green skills and sustainability in everyday life at the academy. When restocking the barista training supplies for making café-style coffees, youngsters decided to turn the outdated coffee beans into a sustainability project.
Youngsters worked alongside Sustainability and Green Skills Instructor, Joe, to grow mushrooms from the old coffee. Joe explained the scientific process: “A clear container was used for us to see the mycelium colonise the old coffee grounds before sprouting the mushrooms.”
The class discussed how growing mushrooms could become a profitable business – selling the produce to restaurants and cafes that focus on farm-to-table dining; farmers’ markets and factories that manufacture mushrooms to be bought in supermarkets. The lesson successfully inspired young people to think of all the ways different waste products could be reused creatively.
Seeing the coffee beans grow into mushrooms had the youngsters in awe: “You have to see it to believe it! It was cool to actually see a mushroom form in front of us. Normally, fungi live underground but we got to watch it grow.”
As the warmer weather (hopefully) approaches, The Skills Academy is keen to try new and exciting biodiversity projects in the garden.
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Young people visited Scottish Leather Group to find out how the biggest leather maker in the United Kingdom has found ways to consider people and the planet within their business operations.
Students who attend The Skills Academy have a growing interest in the world around them. Now, more than ever, young people contemplate the consequences of climate change and want to know how to help stop global warming.
Scottish Leather Group has meticulously worked towards lowering their carbon emissions to create the lowest carbon intensity leather in the world and become an example to other industry leaders across every sector to factor in the environment. A visit to see their business processes in action was an ideal field trip for environmentally-driven students.
Young people saw for themselves how a career in design, manufacturing and engineering has the power to find sustainable solutions that can help protect the environment and benefit future generations.
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Pupils are motivated to make a positive difference to the environment and their efforts have been recognised once again as Kibble’s secondary school has retained the Eco Schools Green Flag Award.
Throughout the year, pupils and staff work hard to consider the planet. The school strives to factor sustainability into lessons, fun activities and practical projects. We want to do what we can to make sure the world is a healthy place for people to grow-up in and not take for granted cleaner air, green open spaces and fresh water.
Action was taken to make our school a more environmentally friendly place to be and exceed the standards expected of an Eco School with the Green Flag Award. We are always on the lookout for opportunities to recycle, reuse and reduce waste.
Read on to discover some of the highlights from us making our school a more environmentally friendly place to be.
We’ve built a wormery to recycle food waste from the home economics classes and reduce the amount heading to landfill sites.
Christmas Fayre items were made from recycled materials by our talented pupils.
Pupils are learning to grow a whole range of tasty food including potatoes, blueberries and tomatoes. Our herb garden has sprouted with sage and lemon thyme.
Teachers are taking their first steps in bee-keeping and plans are underway for young people to learn about bee-keeping and producing honey. A social enterprise project can be set-up to sell the bee products.
The health and wellbeing of kids and adults has been thought of too with events for Mental Health Week, walking challenges and more.
Moving forward, we will continue with even more valuable projects and try to influence more people to join us in living more sustainably.
Posted: May 2, 2025
Last weekend (Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April), teams of Kibble walkers donned their finest tartan attire and joined thousands of enthusiastic walkers taking on the Mighty Glasgow KiltWalk.
As well as counting the steps, the teams were making the steps count! One team were raising money to help transform the lives of children, young people and families across Kibble, with the other raising money for Classrooms for Malawi in memory of a dear friend and colleague, Ruby Whitelaw, who was a strong advocate for the charity. Enthusiasm and excitement were brimming as the walkers eagerly waited to cross over the start line to the fanfare of bagpipes, a live DJ and the roar of the crowd.
Making a Difference
As the walk continued along Glasgow and the West’s finest industrial landmarks and scenic canal routes, the atmosphere was palpable as thousands of walkers stepped forward to collectively raise over £3m for charity.
Even the dreich weather couldn’t dampen spirits as thousands walked in the name of charities close to their heart and in memory of loved ones. Along the route, neighbours cheered on, held banners and even offered refreshments to the 19,000 walkers who paraded past their doorstep. For the pedigree companions who joined the walk, there was even dedicated pit stops offering dog treats and water. Community bands also lined the route to encourage the walkers as they passed. It was a day where community spirit and kindness were in abundance.
In memory of Ruby, walkers from Kibble pooled efforts with Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ), who collectively raised over £6000 for Classrooms for Malawi! Continuing Ruby’s incredible legacy, funds will support the advancement of education in Malawi, building classrooms alongside the local community to enhance the learning environment, education and opportunities.
An Honour to be Part of
For all walkers, it was an honour to be part of the weekend’s events, raising funds to support others in our communities. As the Balloch marina came into view and we made our way to the finish line, jubilant with cheering spectators, we were filled with pride at what had been achieved. The sore feet and weary legs were worth it when we saw the support of others and the party atmosphere that awaited.
A hugely inspirational and emotional two days, and a joy to be part of. We’d like to say a massive well done to everyone who took part in KiltWalk 2025, to everyone who supported the walkers, and to the organisers who put on another incredible event.
See you at the start line in 2026!
Posted: April 29, 2025
You can become a Child and Youth Care Worker – we welcome applicants of all ages and life experiences.
Applications are now open for our 12-month training programme, which provides full training for those wanting to start a rewarding career in child and youth care. Whether you are looking for a new job or a complete career change, you can transfer your existing skills into motivating young people to think positively. As a Trainee, you’ll spend three days each week in on-the-job training within our residential children’s houses, one day in the classroom, and one day studying independently.
Join our current staff who began as Trainees and have since qualified as Child and Youth Care Workers. Many have progressed to become Senior Practitioners, Service Managers and Operations Managers.
Meet Julie Ann who always wanted a career working with kids. Once her own children grew up, she applied to Career Start at age 50. Julie Ann left retail to start a new job, pursuing her lifelong dream of helping children.
Ryan, a former Landscaper, wanted a career change and knew from coaching his son’s football team he could encourage young people to believe in themselves.
Lola changed careers from the hospitality industry, and with support from Kibble, is now an Acting Operations Manager. Her story is an example of the rewarding career you can have if you match our drive to help young people.
If you want to inspire children to reach their potential, Lola encourages you to apply as she says: “The essential requirement is the aspiration to support young people and provide them with a better chance at life – if you have that, Kibble will work with you to make sure you have the skills and experience to become the best carer possible.”
Follow in the Footsteps of Julie Ann, Ryan and Lola
Kibble and St Mirren introduced a Groundskeeper Traineeship for young people to learn practical skills and gain a recognised iHasco qualification.
Our partnership with St Mirren exists to strengthen youth employment for young people who may have faced adverse life experiences. The Groundskeeper Traineeship is an example of how together, we are motivating young people think about their future and be ambitious in creating a positive livelihood for themselves.
Young learners who attended The Skills Academy, Kibble’s education and training centre, were eligible to apply and interview for the role of Groundskeeper Trainee. The application process required preparation and was set-up to give young people first-hand experience of what it would be like to look for jobs or apply to college or university. The role involved commitment therefore applicants had to remain calm and overcome any nerves while demonstrating their commitment and willingness to consistently arrive on time, concentrate and listen to instructions.
St Mirren General Manager, Lynsey explained young people would receive training from the club’s skilled grounds expert and be mentored in how to become a Groundskeeper themselves: “Through the Groundskeeper Traineeship, a young person works at St Mirren’s training complex at Ralston. They learn how to maintain the grass pitch and Astro Turf pitch as well as how to safely operate machinery, while meeting new people and being part of a friendly and hard-working team.”
The Head of The Skills Academy, Lisa described the benefits of partnering with St Mirren: “Young people gain hands-on, real-life experiences and see what an actual job is like”
Kibble Principal Teacher, Tracey with St Mirren General Manager, Lynsey and Head of The Skills Academy, Lisa.
The first successful Groundskeeper Trainee was an outgoing young person who enjoyed spending time outdoors and enthusiastically took on their allocated key responsibilities. They thrived within the fast-paced routine of a Scottish premiership and became a valuable asset to the team.
Kibble Chief Executive, Jim confirmed the partnership between one of the largest children’s charities and a Scottish premiership football team is making a difference to the lives of young people: “The Groundskeeper Traineeship demonstrates true value in Kibble and St Mirren joining forces to boost youth employment. Young people gain entrepreneurial, practical and academic qualifications that can enhance their CV and increase job opportunities while also teaching transferable life skills.”
“The experience of being amongst a real-life business motivates them to consider, sometimes for the first time ever, higher education or a rewarding job role.”
“We have put the support in place for young learners to get outside the classroom and realise they can succeed in building a positive life for themselves.”
The Groundskeeper Traineeship is now preparing for the next new recruit to begin.
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Meet Kibble Cook, Jonathan who recommends our staff benefit of child care savings at Puddle Lane children’s nursery in Hillington. Jonathan tells us how much his daughter, Lucy enjoys going to nursery and shares why he plans to continue his career at Kibble.
Brachiosaurus, Velociraptor and Stegosaurus are three dinosaur species that two-year-old Lucy can pronounce. Mango korma, vegetarian chilli and spaghetti Bolognese are just three of the meals she can look forward to at lunchtime. Intelligent, sociable and curious are three words Lucy’s dad would use to describe her personality.
Two-year-old Lucy has attended Puddle Lane children’s nursery since she was nine-months old. Lucy was enrolled by her parents as Lucy’s dad, Jonathan is a Cook at Kibble. Jonathan was intrigued when his work opened a children’s nursery and after hearing positive comments from colleagues, he arranged a visit and decided Puddle Lane is where Lucy would go. Two years later and Jonathan stands by his choice. Jonathan is extremely proud of Lucy. Every day, he is amazed by his daughter’s confidence.
Jonathan shares how much Lucy enjoys going to Puddle Lane: “Lucy runs into nursery in the morning and can’t wait to see her friends and the nursery staff.”
“Lucy loves to learn and comes home with interesting facts and plenty of stories about her busy day. She can pronounce the different types of dinosaur species better than me and her mum – I have to remind myself she is only two-years-old because she is so clever.”
Jonathan explains he was immediately amazed by Puddle Lane on his first visit and when he met the nursery staff: “Puddle Lane has its own soft play, large garden area with Astro-Turf and plenty of activities in each playroom. We knew it was a place where kids would have great fun.”
“The team of staff are amazing and incredibly friendly. They’re great with all the children and I know Lucy is happy and safe with them.”
“The nursery is extremely convenient for us as I am glad to be close by to Lucy even when at work.”
Jonathan finds that the best part of Puddle Lane is all the fun learning experiences Lucy has: “Puddle Lane uploads photos on to their App each day for me and Lucy’s mum to see what she gets up to while at nursery – we love being able to get an insight into her day.”
“Lucy has planted her own sunflower seeds and often talks about gardening. Her favourite thing to do is follow a recipe and cook or bake.”
To have his daughter enjoy the same hobbies is fantastic to see: “As a Cook, I grow my own herbs and use them as fresh ingredients for recipes at home and I’m thrilled Lucy has an interest in the same hobbies I have – especially cooking as I have turned that one into a fulfilling career.”
Jonathan loves to cook and has a strong work ethic as he feels lucky to have turned his passion into his profession. He understands the importance of preparing healthy meals as a Cook and as parent himself.
Jonathan tells us more about his role as a Kibble Cook: “The reason I applied to Kibble was because I loved to cook and I still do. My job is to prepare meals for across the organisation including hospitality catering at St Mirren Football Club as well as the lunches served at Puddle Lane. I take my job very seriously and strive to prepare menus that are healthy, nutritious and varied.”
The meaningful work Kibble does has made Jonathan determined to continue his career here: “One day I would like to become a Cooking Instructor at Kibble and help young people who are interested in pursuing a career in the hospitality industry to gain the relevant SVQ qualifications.”
“I can relate to young people who may be worrying about the future and their job prospects but I believe I would be a good mentor and demonstrate what’s possible when you find something you enjoy and continue developing that talent.”
There is a shared purpose amongst everyone at Kibble: “I believe in what Kibble does and the aim of helping young people have a bright future.”
“Helping staff with child care is another way Kibble makes sure people feel included as our own families have been thought of. Kibble has taken their knowledge of helping children grow-up into creating a fantastic nursery where children can learn, play and be happy.”
Kibble opened Puddle Lane to increase access to high quality child care at an affordable cost for the staff team and families in the wider surrounding areas. Our intention was to demonstrate our value of belonging. We want to encourage inclusion amongst the workforce and build meaningful connections, showing staff we care about their home life too and want everyone to feel a valued.
Join Jonathan and Start Your Career at Kibble
If the values of Respect, Ambition and Belonging resonate with you, it’s time to begin a new career at Kibble. Discover jobs in Paisley, Glasgow and beyond with fantastic staff benefits and career development opportunities.
