The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Enterprising plans for creation of 35,000 jobs
THE CHAIRMAN of Scottish Enterprise yesterday outlined ambitious plans to create 35,000 new jobs through inward investment.
Crawford Gillies also said he expected the build-out of the renewables industry to start creating much-needed high-skilled posts in Dundee and Fife within the next three years.
However, he was unable to say how many new jobs the Scottish economy was likely to produce under its own steam in the same period.
“We have a strong pipeline of inward investment,” Mr Gillies said.
“We have been very successful in the last year in terms of attracting inward investment to Scotland.
“Last week we had the announcement by GSK in Montrose and a few months ago we had the announcement by Michelin not only safeguarding but adding new jobs in Dundee.
“We have definitely got something going for us in terms of inward investment, and in a recent report Scotland was the number one region in the UK measured by the number of jobs.
“The issue for us (in terms of homespun job creation) is not that it is not a priority, but with inward investment it is easy to identify what our impact is.
“The whole jobs issue is absolutely critical to us and most of our effort is working with growth companies where we can make the biggest difference.
“Growth companies do not necessarily mean new or young companies. We are working with many companies that have been around for a very long time and they come from all sectors of the economy.”
Mr Gillies was speaking as Scottish Enterprise launched its business plan and set out its strategic priorities for the three years through to 2015.
The body — which has an annual budget in excess of £300m — said it would be focusing on the renewables roll-out, international trade and investment, growth companies, innovation and the transition to the low carbon economy.
The agency — which has contact with 8,000 firms a year and gives intensive support to more than 2,000 — claims it produces economic benefits of up to £9 for every £1 it spends, and it expects that figure will grow over the next three-year period.
Mr Gillies said he expected the renewables sector would be a major driver of the economy in the years ahead and he said the North East looked set to benefit.
“All of Scotland has a role to play.”
He added: “Glasgow is very much becoming the research and development hub for the sector whereas the east coast — and that very much includes Dundee — is very important in terms of manufacturing and assembly.
“The industry plans to start putting turbines offshore over the next two to three years and we absolutely anticipate that we will start seeing real jobs being created in the Port of Dundee, at Methil in Fife and at Leith.
“That is very much in the time horizon and, as far as Dundee is concerned, the memorandum of understanding signed between Dundee City Council, Forth Ports, SSE and SE is absolutely critical to moving forward.”
Mr Gillies said he expected the economic climate to remain challenging for the foreseeable future and urged Scottish businesses to innovate and internationalise to increase their chances of success.
“I think it is inevitable that, given what is happening internationally, the economy is going to be in a difficult position for the next couple of years,” Mr Gillies added.
“That said, I don’t think we should be depressed as there are huge opportunities for Scottish companies that have get up and go and ambition.
“Scottish companies need to look around and see what others in the economy are doing. My challenge to the Scottish business base is to go out there and take advantage of the opportunities available.”