You’re Hired – Top Recruits Named at Awards
Six young people have secured jobs at the final of Inverclyde Council’s innovative ‘Recruit’ programme which is celebrating its 11th year.
Pupils from S5 and S6 years in Inverclyde’s secondary schools have spent their summer holidays taking part in the award-winning personal development programme.
Activities included a three day outward bound teambuilding event; 30 business challenges; talks by some of Scotland’s top entrepreneurs; and running small business ventures.
Former Recruit and Inverclyde Council’s Young Persons Champion, Councillor Natasha Murphy, 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 and another seven new companies engaging in the programme for 2017.
“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 local authorities in Scotland when it comes to young people leaving school and moving onto positive destinations.”
The Recruits have received posts paying salaries of up to £14,000 from local firms Union Projects; West College Scotland, Riverside Inverclyde, DYW West and Pursuit Marketing, Glasgow.
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 include: Royal Bank of Scotland, PG Paper, Inverclyde Council; Auchengillan Outdoor Centre, Live n Learn, Former Recruits, Tree of Knowledge, Phoenix Car Company, Clearwater Brookes, Clearview Minds, Elevator, West College Scotland, Concentrix, The Co-Op, The British Army, Babygrand Productions, Kip Marina / The Chartroom, Watt Nicoll Associates, Spenny productions, Active Schools, Ferguson Marine, Elavator, Robert MacDonald and Co, Discover Fortunes, Lynnie Carson and entrepreneurs Gary McEwan, Alan Black, Donna Bryson, Morgan Spence and Watt Nicoll.
Councillor Murphy added: “I would like to congratulate all the Recruits for their outstanding efforts and wish them all the best for their future careers. I would also like to thank the many businesses and individuals who have supported this project over the years and who recognise the importance of supporting Inverclyde’s inspirational young people.”
For eleven years running, the Ardgowan Hospice has been the sole beneficiary of all donations accrued by The Recruit programme. This year approximately £5,000 has been raised bringing the eleven year total to just over £108,000.
The Recruit has awarded a total of 102 jobs to young people in Inverclyde since the start of the programme in 2007.
The Finale event was kindly sponsored by Pursuit Marketing, Riverside Inverclyde, DYW West, West College Scotland, Union Projects and ICE.
It is hoped that more jobs may be offered in the weeks ahead.
The full list of The Recruit 2016 winners are:
West College Scotland: Brooke Scott
Pursuit Marketing: Rebecca McIntosh and Lee McCartney
DYW West: Emily McCurdy
Union Projects: Sheryl Mitchell
Riverside Inverclyde: Jennifer Alexander
Emily McCurdy was named as the Top Recruit for 2017