Highland Council continues to support paid work placements providing valuable experience to the unemployed with Alness man amongst those benefitting
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THE Highland Council and its public sector partners are hosting paid placements, providing valuable work experience opportunities to those living in Highland region who are not in employment, education or training.
The placements are an opportunity to learn important employability skills, gain industry recognised qualifications while working in a trainee role, where they will earn Scottish Living Wage.
Cameron "Cammy" MacDonald is working with the council’s housing maintenance team in Alness, but before starting in February, he had been unemployed for several months.
In his new team, he’s enjoying learning a range of skills, such as painting, garden maintenance and preparing houses for re-letting.
Throughout Cammy’s placement, he is supported by a mentor, Charles Augustine.
Charles said: “It has been a pleasure working with Cammy and I’m delighted to see him growing in confidence in his work and around his work colleagues. He’s the first to arrive at the workplace each morning and is always happy to get on with his work and try out new tasks.”
Cammy said: “I am really enjoying my work and being part of a team. It’s good to be tired at the end of the day!”
Martin Gemmell, team leader in building maintenance said: “Cammy is a great asset to the service with his hard work and can-do attitude and it has been really good to see him blossom into a confident work colleague who is well liked by his peers.”
Funded by the Highland Council and Scottish Government’s Youth Guarantee and Long-Term Unemployed funding streams, the Paid Public Sector Placements support out of work Highland residents who are looking to progress into employment.
The scheme provides participants with relevant work experience and the opportunity to access training and gain valuable skills, helping them to progress into sustainable employment.
Chairman of the council’s economy and infrastructure committee, Cllr Ken Gowans said: “I wish Cammy and all the other young people who will benefit from the chance to get work experience and learn valuable new skills through this scheme the very best.”
More information about paid placement opportunities can be found by visiting www.highland.gov.uk/employplacements
A special drop-in event for anyone aged 16 – 24 years not currently in employment, education or training and over 25’s who have been mainly out of work for 12 months will take place in the Spectrum Centre in Inverness on Thursday July 14 from 10am to 2pm.
The event is a chance for anyone interested to come along and find out more about six month Paid Placements.
