Nearly 300 more Scottish jobs announced by UK Government

13 November 2009

The Secretary of State welcomed the news today (13 November) that seven Scottish applications for funding in the fourth round of the UK Government's Future Jobs Fund have been successful, meaning that 218 more new posts will be available between now and June, with the potential for this to increase to 285 by 2011.

The jobs will be in Aberdeen, Argyll and Bute, the Borders, Dundee, Stirling, East Dunbartonshire and at former coal-mining sites across Scotland administered by the Coalfield Regeneration Trust.

The Future Jobs Fund, announced in the last Budget, is a UK-wide fund worth around £1bn to support the creation of around 150,000 jobs for long term unemployed people aged 18-24 and others who face significant disadvantage in the labour market. It is a challenge fund which invites organisations to submit bids for funding, usually for community-focused posts.

Jim Murphy said:

"Since July, we have created more than 3,700 new jobs, worth more than £20m, for Scots who would have otherwise been out of work because of the global economic downturn.

"The Scottish economy hasn't turned the corner yet, and this will be small consolation to anyone who has lost their job recently. But we cannot and will not allow this to become long-term unemployment. Through initiatives like the Future Jobs Fund we will continue to provide jobs; help people gain the skills and experience they need to find new jobs; and support people to stay in the jobs that they are already in, while at the same time making a tangible difference to Scottish communities."

Jobs have been created in every local authority area across Scotland and the first employees have already started work. All of the organisations involved have committed to providing a level of support to sustain the jobs, which must pay at least the minimum wage and last at least six months at 25 hours or more a week.

The successful Scottish bids in the fourth round of the Future Jobs Fund came from:

East Dunbartonshire Council - up to 60 jobs
Dundee City Council - up to 51 jobs
Scottish Borders Council - up to 51 jobs
Aberdeen Works - up to 32 jobs
Stirling Council Youth Services - up to 31 jobs
Argyll and Bute Council's Employability Team - up to 30 jobs
Coalfield Regeneration Trust - up to 30 jobs

Employers can submit bids to the fund at any time - full details of the process can be found on the DWP website:

http://campaigns.dwp.gov.uk/campaigns/futurejobsfund/