West Lothian College plays host to youth employment event

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

5^th December 2012

West Lothian College plays host to youth employment event

Hundreds of people have attended a jobs fair at West Lothian College designed to tackle youth unemployment.

The event, which was organised by Almond Valley MSP and Minister for Youth Employment, Angela Constance, featured a wide variety of businesses and agencies looking to recruit or assist with the process of finding a job.

Angela Constance MSP said: “In my role as Minister for Youth Employment, I’m more than aware of the challenges facing young people today. I’m delighted with the response we’ve received from West Lothian businesses and agencies.

“The message I’m constantly hearing from young people is that they’re simply looking to learn, pick up relevant qualifications then get a foot on the career ladder. It’s important that employers offer that assistance because it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing to do. Young people make such a great contribution to the country and are our future. We need to all make sure that we’re supporting them in achieving their goals.”

The event, which took place on Friday 30^th November, featured a raft of businesses that are currently looking to recruit, including ASDA, Scottish Water and Scotrail. Information and advice was also available from groups, including Skills Development Scotland, West Lothian Credit Union and the Prince’s Trust.

West Lothian College staff provided information on the vast range of courses available to young people. Principal, Mhairi Laughlin, commented: “The college has an enviable reputation for helping young people find entry into the workplace and now, more than ever, we’re focussing on this important area. From our Ways to Work programme, which provides guaranteed work placements for students, to our hands-on HNC and HND courses, we’re equipping young learners with the vital skills they need.

“The college has a very positive relationship with Angela Constance and we were thrilled to play host to this event. We’re hoping to organise further information days in the future and look forward to developing even stronger enterprise links to get West Lothian’s young people working.”

-ENDS-

Image 1: Angela Constance MSP looks on as one student gets advice from an employer.

For more information, contact: Brian O’Neill, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) brian@halogencom.com