Jim Murphy announces 200 new jobs in the Highlands

17 December 2009

200 new community-focused jobs for the young and long-term unemployed are to be created in the Highlands from this month, Jim Murphy confirmed today. This brings the total number of new posts funded by the UK Government's Future Jobs Fund to more than 7,000 across Scotland since the scheme launched in July.

The Secretary of State for Scotland welcomed the news that a bid for funding from Highland Council has been successful in the December bidding round, meaning that 78 new posts will be available between now and July 2010, with the potential for this to increase to 203 by 2011.

The posts to be created will include waste management assistants, outdoor education assistants, leisure assistants, library assistants, trainee social care workers, visitor centre assistants, countryside rangers, building operatives and clerical assistants. The jobs are intended to benefit local communities in the following ways:

  • Amenity areas will be improved and play equipment will be better maintained to ensure that it lasts longer
  • Streets will be cleaner and safer to use
  • Uptake of leisure opportunities will be encouraged in local communities
  • Quality of housing for older people and vulnerable groups will be improved

Jim Murphy said:

"This is great news both for the local Highland communities that will benefit, and for the people that will be back in work as a result.

"The country is starting to move out of recession and there are some positive economic signs around, but we still need to work harder so that we don't lose people to generational unemployment.

"These jobs will help us to do that by giving people who are looking for work, and particularly young people, the experience and confidence that will help them find long term employment."

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.

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 Future Jobs Fund has so far created more than 7,000 new jobs in Scotland.

Bids are assessed against key criteria:

  • That the jobs will be real jobs - paying at least national minimum wage, for at least 25 hours a week, and lasting six months;
  • That the jobs will be additional - in other words that they would not have happened without the Future Jobs Fund;
  • That they are suitable for long-term unemployed young people;
  • The work undertaken must be of benefit to the local community; and
  • A significant proportion of the jobs must be deliverable quickly.

Bids are also assessed for cost, quality and their support for key sectors - including green jobs.

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

Link opens in new windowhttp://campaigns.dwp.gov.uk/campaigns/futurejobsfund/