School leavers who joined a 12-week employment training initiative six months ago have still got a job – thanks to Paisley’s Kibble Education and Care Centre.
The teenagers, from schools all over Renfrewshire, signed up for the Christmas Leavers’ Employment Training Initiative set up and jointly financed by Kibble and the European Social Fund.
And eight of the 22 young people who started have either been given full-time jobs, or longer-term training placements on programmes run by KibbleWorks – the organisation’s job creation and training wing.
Renfrewshire South MSP, Hugh Henry visited KibbleWorks to meet some of the young people who have benefited from the training initiative.
Mr Henry said: “What Kibble has achieved by launching this Christmas leavers’ job training programme is a perfect example of what companies and third sector organisations can do to alleviate the scourge of youth unemployment.
“It was heartening to speak to the young people at KibbleWorks who have been given the chance to prove to themselves and other people that they have the potential to learn the skills needed to hold down a worthwhile job.
“Sometimes all that is needed is to give young people a helping hand and the chance to show they can make a positive contribution to a workplace. That is exactly what Kibble has done and they should be congratulated.”
One of the Christmas leavers who trained in the KibbleWorks warehouse is 16-year-old CC, from Johnstone.
He has since gained three Road Transport Industry Training Board qualifications, including forklift driving and is now hopeful of landing a job with a major haulage company locally.
CC said: “The training I have had at KibbleWorks makes it ten times more likely I’ll get a job. The opportunities I’ve been given here are great.”
Kibble chief executive, Graham Bell said: “One of the most important aspects in helping young people is to give them the best possible opportunities of finding and keeping a job.
“That’s the aim of the employment training KibbleWorks offers 18 to 24-year-olds from the local community, delivered through our portfolio of social enterprises.”