New bid to boost job prospects for young adults

The twin developments were unveiled at the new Greenfaulds High campus in Cumbernauld, itself a development reckoned set to bring major benefits to the town’s new generation of secondary pupils.

The North Lanarkshire’s Working website will encourage more people to sign up to the new Prospects programme, which offers one to one support to local people trying to find work.

Meanwhile the School Employer Partnership Programme – possibly the first initiative of its kind in Scotland – is an ambitious bid to foster workplace-pupil links with every secondary school.

From now on each head of service in the council will work with at least one school to develop and encourage career pathways for young people.

Education convenor Councillor Frank McNally said: “The service North Lanarkshire’s Working provides to local unemployed people is fantastic.

“We are looking to help a wide range of people – those who have been out of work for a while, those who have recently been made redundant and indeed those who have just left school.”

“I am very passionate about the School Employer Partnership Programme, as far as we know North Lanarkshire Council is the first authority in Scotland to take forward such a scheme.

“I know this will open many doors for staff in schools and not least to pupils who are looking at what steps they will take after they leave”.