Dumfries and Galloway Councils’ Employability and Skills Service has been shortlisted for a 2019 SURF award. This award recognises best practice in supporting community regeneration by providing skills and employability support to help young people aged 16-29 years fulfil their potential.
We have been shortlisted for developing and delivering a customised Workplace Skills Award, which provides flexible support for young people who need help to develop the skills needed to move into sustained employment.
Our work-based qualification provides a framework to build employability skills and accredits the ability to apply those skills in the workplace. The framework of skills is based on research with local employers, training providers and young people and is accredited by SQA and endorsed by the Scottish Chamber of Commerce.
Around 30 young people have already completed the award and been supported into work including care experienced young people and young people with additional support needs or disabilities as well as young people on our Project Search programme. A growing number of young people and industry partners are also recognising the value of our pioneering land-based employability initiative for young people in their senior phase at school, delivering the award in partnership with local farmers and SRUC Barony.
Around 100 young people are currently working towards the award developing transferable skills for future employment and gaining valuable work experience.
Chair of Economy and resources Committee, Rob Davidson said: “This is great news, well done to all concerned. We must do all we can to ensure that our young people get the qualifications they need to gain suitable employment. It’s great to hear that so many are achieving this through this excellent programme.”
Vice Chair, Archie Dryburgh said: “Great Achievement! We need to encourage young people to stay in our region and one way of doing this is by helping them to achieve their full potential. This not only benefits them, but also our local employers and by working with them we can ensure that our future workforce has the skills they are looking for.”
