Help the young

New figures out this week show the number of jobless in Scotland has fallen below 4 per cent of the population, which is good news.

But finding a job in a chosen career, or one with opportunity, as a young adult is still one of the toughest steps in life.

Without experience or awareness of the skills required to find and keep a job, many young people are repeatedly rejected at interview, with any aspiration beaten out of them. It can be no one’s fault, but employers have the power to make a real difference.

We run an employer-led programme, Hand Picked, from CR Smith, which teaches young people the ability to sell

themselves and what it means to be a part of a thriving workforce. Through academies and paid work placements, where there is a level of skills training, we are guiding 16-24 year olds into meaningful jobs.

Having a low jobless rate is to be welcomed. But we also need to ensure young people get the chance to learn the skills that will ensure they can play a full part in Scotland’s workforce. For me, that is something employers can support.

GERARD EADIE CBE Founder of Hand Picked and Chairman of CR Smith Gardeners Street, Dunfermline