Jobs fund welcomed by Aberdeenshire East MSP
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A new fund from the Scottish Government to help those who have lost their jobs or are facing redundancy as a result of the coronavirus has been welcomed by Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin.
The £25 million National Transition Training Fund – a Programme for Government commitment – will help up to 10,000 people aged 25 and over.
The fund will help people to develop skills required to move into sectors with the greatest potential for future growth and job opportunities.
This includes areas such as sustainable green jobs and boosting the profile of training opportunities linked to Scotland’s transition to a net zero economy.
It comes after Ms Martin called for the Transition Training Fund to be reopened in June to support workers impacted by the economic downturn.
Ms Martin highlighted her concerns in a letter to Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
Commenting Ms Martin said: “I am pleased the Scottish Government has announced £25 million of investment towards supporting those who have been made redundant or are facing job loss.
“This is an incredibly difficult time across many sectors particularly for those working in sectors most affected by the pandemic.
“In our work on the environment, climate change and land reform committee we have been looking at the Just Transition and Scotland’s move from oil and gas towards jobs in different energy sectors including renewables.
“I am pleased the fund will also be targeted towards the most exposed sectors including North Sea oil and gas, aviation and tourism.
“As we recover from the pandemic, and look towards a more resilient and sustainable economy, we must ensure people have the right skills in achieving that goal.”
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) will be responsible for the initial £11 million phase of the fund, which is now live and will help up to 6000 people by March 2021.
People accessing the fund will be in control of their own training plan but will have the support of advisers with knowledge of local job opportunities, so they can make informed decisions about their future career.
The first phase of the National Transition Training Fund will be administered by SDS on behalf of Scottish Government, with work coaches from the Department for Work and Pensions and PACE advisers from SDS providing advice and support. Two further strands will launch this autumn.
The fund is open to anyone aged 25 or over who is unemployed, economically inactive or at risk of unemployment due to the impact of Covid-19.
To find out more, visit www.myworldofwork.co.uk/national-transition-training-fund or call 0800 917 8000.
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