News / Move to help graduates find a job
HIGHLANDS and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is today (Monday) launching a £2.4 million project to help 350 new graduates into businesses across the region, including in Shetland.
HIE chairman Willie Roe will announce the scheme on Monday at noon when he visits Highland Wood Energy in Fort William.
The ‘Talent Scotland Graduate Placement Programme’ is a three year project that will assist small and medium sized businesses and social enterprises to employ university students, graduates and post-graduates for up to a year.
Businesses will be able to claim up to 60 percent towards the cost of employing a new graduate.
Previous graduate placement schemes, funded by HIE, have been successful, according to Shaw Marketing and Design who have been employing two graduates in their Lerwick office.
The company has now offered one of their graduates, Rona Simpson, a permanent job as a marketing professional.
Ms Simpson said the scheme had been a real asset to her at a time when jobs could be hard to find.
“A number of my university friends really struggled to find jobs. By undertaking a graduate placement you get that vital stepping stone of relevant experience, which is a huge help.
“I consider myself really lucky to have firstly gained a place on the scheme, and ultimately to have been offered a permanent post at Shaw in the exact line of work I’d hoped to get into,” she said.
The company’s deputy managing director Isabel Johnson added: “We probably wouldn’t have been able to take on a graduate without the advantage of this scheme but Rona has made a great contribution to the company.
“We are now very pleased to have another highly competent Heriot Watt graduate working with us, Kirsty Halcrow. The scheme has proved to be very valuable, and I would certainly recommend it to other businesses.”
HIE chairman Willie Roe said: “Survey figures indicate we have a lower number of graduates in the highlands and islands workforce than the Scottish average.
“We want more young people to see the range of opportunities that exist in the region and to stay here, or return after they have finished their study, to work.”
Minister for skills and lifelong learning, Keith Brown, said: “This programme offers a valuable opportunity for young people leaving university to gain a foothold in small and medium sized businesses in some of our most rural and fragile communities.”
All placements are paid and there is a sliding scale of wage subsidies available depending on where the business is located.
In fragile areas and areas of employment deficit there is 60 per cent support for the Graduates into Business strand, which can last for between six and 12 months.
In addition there is an eight week summer placement project for undergraduates.
Ends
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