Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Firms urged to join job project
Ninety trainees ready to start work
More Monklands employers are wanted to join a supported employment project.
The project helps people with learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, mental health issues and young care leavers to find work.
Run by North Lanarkshire Council, the scheme has 90 people who are ready to start work in roles ranging from domestic, clerical or recycling assistants to retail, catering and labouring posts.
Coatbridge firm Gavin Shanks Allied Timber is one of the employers taking part and director Alistair Shanks praised the scheme, saying: “I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the service to other employers.”
He said: “Supported employment meets all the standards I would expect and provides an efficient service throughout, including identifying employees who are able to do the job and fit into the organisation.
“We’re assigned a job coach who continuously liaises with employer and employee, working alongside the new start until they’re fully trained and confident.”
Council employment service head Maureen Cook said: “The businesses that work with us are doing so much more than recruiting a new employee. They’re changing lives.
“I can’t underestimate the positive impact paid work has on the people who use our service.
“We’re making some changes and improvements and are keen to encourage more businesses to recruit from us. Our ethos is simple: we help people to discover what they are good at, where their skills would be best job matched and improve their futures by having a job.”
Interested firms in Airdrie and Coatbridge can visit www. northlanarkshire.gov.uk or call 01236 856020 for more details.