The Recruit

Provost Robert Moran announces that Fiona Semple is Inverclyde's top recruit for 2015 — Provost Robert Moran announces that
Fiona Semple is Inverclyde's
top recruit for 2015

15 young people secured jobs with top employers at the final of Inverclyde Council’s innovative Recruit programme,

Young people from S5/6 years in Inverclyde’s Secondary Schools devoted their summer holidays to participate in the award-winning personal development programme ‘The Recruit’.

The Final revealed 2015s 'Top Recruit' with successful recruits being offered jobs from local organisations and businesses.

Fiona Semple was announced the top recruit and receives the winning position with Inverclyde Council’s education service.

15 other recruits received posts paying salaries of £14,000 from Royal Bank of Scotland; EE; Inverclyde Community Development Trust; PG Paper; ISS and Concentrix.

For nine years running, the Ardgowan Hospice has been the sole beneficiary of all donations accrued by The Recruit programme. And during the summer and on the evening of the finale, they raised £14,500 for the Inverclyde-based charity.

The successful candidates were selected based on their overall performance, attitude, potential, personal drive, determination and

employability skills throughout the four month programme of challenges and activities with local organisations.

These businesses, organisations and individuals include: Royal Bank of Scotland, EE, PG Paper, ISS, The Trust; Inverclyde Council; Auchengillen Outdoor Centre, Live n Learn, Former Recruits, Tree of Knowledge, Phoenix Car Company, Tweetie Pie Media, Ardgowan Hospice, Clearwater Brookes, Concentrix, Seatrek, Greenock Morton, Babygrand Productions, Kip Marina / The Chartroom, Inverclyde Radio, Watt Nicoll Associates, Oak Mall Shopping Centre, Robert MacDonald and Co, Discover Fortunes and entrepreneurs Gary McEwan, Alan Black, Victoria Hamilton, Lizzie Todd, Craig Bickett, Donna Bryson and Watt Nicoll.

Challenges tested the young people on all their entrepreneurial skills from profit counting to marketing and branding.

Commenting on the announcement, former recruit and Inverclyde Council’s Communities Vice-Convenor, Councillor James McColgan, said: “All of the recruits begin the summer with the expectation of one job being available to the top recruit. It is a testimony to the high esteem this programme is held by our partners in the business community that they have, once again, delivered so many opportunities for our young people.

“The Recruit shows that young people across Inverclyde are motivated, ambitious and ready for work. That should come as no surprise to many when Inverclyde is already one of the top performing I the whole of Scotland when it comes to young people leaving school and moving onto positive destinations.

“The recruit allows candidates to grow both personally and professionally as was evident at the awards ceremony.

“Among the challenges, this year’s recruits have taken on a three day outward bound teambuilding event; 25 business challenges; heard from some of Scotland’s top entrepreneurs; undertaken 25 team or individual tasks and assignments; written 21 business reports and all of this during their summer holidays, putting in 500 hours of work.

“I would like to congratulate all the recruits for their outstanding efforts and wish them all the best for their future careers. I’d also like to thank the many businesses and individuals who have supported this project and who recognise the importance of supporting Inverclyde’s inspirational young people. ”

The 15 winners of the Recruit also each receive a £50 introduction to driving voucher from Mark Grundy School of Motoring.

The Recruit has awarded a total of 90 jobs to young people in Inverclyde since the start of the programme in 2008.

The full list of The Recruit 2015 winners are:

ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND: