Question: Would you agree that it is difficult for young people to get jobs in Dumfries and Galloway? Have you planned any aims specifically related to this field?
Yes, its difficult at the moment for young people to find work – and sometimes when they do they are exploited! I’ve been made aware of young people in the hospitality industry, for example, being required to work long horus without the breaks they are legally entitled to get. We need to try to attract more and better paid jobs to Dumfries and Galloway and increase the number of apprenticeships and trainingavailable. Its one of my priorities.
I agree that it is difficult for young people to get jobs in Dumfries and Galloway, theo, which is why Education and the College work together to encourage young people to gain qualifications and skills. I can’t see things improving in the near future so it is essential that those young people who choose not to go on to University are given the help they need in developing a skill base flexible enough to fit with what the market has to offer.Apprenticeship schemes should be adaptable as well and allow movement between the different trades.
I think that I may well have covered some of this in my answer to your “What do you plan to do with our area?” question.
Local economic growth is the key to this and it will require the judicious use of Council regeneration budgets, together with appropriate investment in the local infrastructure. Roads, public transport and good local facilities including health, education, leisure and sport, which are all part of the mix of things that need to be improved in our region, if we are to effectively stimulate our local economy.
There is no single silver bullet that will solve the question that you have asked.
In the current climate of the heavy handed cuts being imposed on Dumfries & Galloway by the current Scottish Executive (The term Scottish Government used by the SNP has no legal basis) , the current council Administration and the current Westminster Government, I regret that I cannot offer you any assurance that these key issues will be addressed in the foreseeable future.
The SNP Scottish government has lowered the business rate for small businesses, and there are a lot of them in Dumfries and Galloway. This means that these small firms are more able to take on people for work. The government has also increased the number of modern apprentices, and although this does not mean an automatic job at the end of training, at least it means people are trained in something and more likely to get a job. I’d like to see even more firms setting up here and so give young people the chance to stay here and have a good job, rather than have to go somewhere else to find work.
Afternoon Theo. It’s difficult for young people to get jobs, full stop. But it’s not impossible. I have an interest in a firm that is still recruiting a trickle of people in the region, and it is looking for people who can think for themselves, have read the application form properly and answered it appropriately with no silly careless spelling mistakes. Why even interview someone who hasn’t bothered to check? Employers are looking for good grades and/or relevant occupation and an indication that the candidate will stick around to make the investment in their training worthwhile. So there is quite a lot that can be done by individuals to improve chances.
I have always supported Apex – a scheme to help young people who have made mistakes or perhaps had really hard home circumstances to get skilled up to access work.
The other huge issue is transport. I shall resist making it more difficult for people to access work. Finally, in Kirkcudbright, the curriculum at the academy is changing to take account of what employers are looking for. See above. I shall try and encourage councillors to roll that out where appropriate.
Yes, its difficult at the moment for young people to find work – and sometimes when they do they are exploited! I’ve been made aware of young people in the hospitality industry, for example, being required to work long horus without the breaks they are legally entitled to get. We need to try to attract more and better paid jobs to Dumfries and Galloway and increase the number of apprenticeships and trainingavailable. Its one of my priorities.
0
I agree that it is difficult for young people to get jobs in Dumfries and Galloway, theo, which is why Education and the College work together to encourage young people to gain qualifications and skills. I can’t see things improving in the near future so it is essential that those young people who choose not to go on to University are given the help they need in developing a skill base flexible enough to fit with what the market has to offer.Apprenticeship schemes should be adaptable as well and allow movement between the different trades.
0
Hi theo,
I think that I may well have covered some of this in my answer to your “What do you plan to do with our area?” question.
Local economic growth is the key to this and it will require the judicious use of Council regeneration budgets, together with appropriate investment in the local infrastructure. Roads, public transport and good local facilities including health, education, leisure and sport, which are all part of the mix of things that need to be improved in our region, if we are to effectively stimulate our local economy.
There is no single silver bullet that will solve the question that you have asked.
In the current climate of the heavy handed cuts being imposed on Dumfries & Galloway by the current Scottish Executive (The term Scottish Government used by the SNP has no legal basis) , the current council Administration and the current Westminster Government, I regret that I cannot offer you any assurance that these key issues will be addressed in the foreseeable future.
0
The SNP Scottish government has lowered the business rate for small businesses, and there are a lot of them in Dumfries and Galloway. This means that these small firms are more able to take on people for work. The government has also increased the number of modern apprentices, and although this does not mean an automatic job at the end of training, at least it means people are trained in something and more likely to get a job. I’d like to see even more firms setting up here and so give young people the chance to stay here and have a good job, rather than have to go somewhere else to find work.
0
Afternoon Theo. It’s difficult for young people to get jobs, full stop. But it’s not impossible. I have an interest in a firm that is still recruiting a trickle of people in the region, and it is looking for people who can think for themselves, have read the application form properly and answered it appropriately with no silly careless spelling mistakes. Why even interview someone who hasn’t bothered to check? Employers are looking for good grades and/or relevant occupation and an indication that the candidate will stick around to make the investment in their training worthwhile. So there is quite a lot that can be done by individuals to improve chances.
I have always supported Apex – a scheme to help young people who have made mistakes or perhaps had really hard home circumstances to get skilled up to access work.
The other huge issue is transport. I shall resist making it more difficult for people to access work. Finally, in Kirkcudbright, the curriculum at the academy is changing to take account of what employers are looking for. See above. I shall try and encourage councillors to roll that out where appropriate.
0