Highland Council announces paid training and work experience the creation of 17 trainee facilities management placements across the region in its Employability Service and Property and Facilities Management Service

Highland Council’s Employability Service and Property and Facilities Management Service are delighted to announce the creation of 17 trainee facilities management placements throughout the region.

Mostly based within schools, these placements will provide an opportunity to learn about the role of janitorial services, normally last six months and are part of the council’s work-based learning programme.

The programme has provided more than 400 paid placements since 2013.

The placements are open to: young people under the age of 25 years who have left school and are out of work; and adults over the age of 25 years who have been out of work for more than 12 months.

Each successful candidate is provided with:

• Six months paid work experience at the living wage of £9.90 per hour;

• An employability mentor throughout the placement;

• Training;

• Support in seeking employment for when the placement finishes.

Councillor Trish Robertson, the chairwoman of the council’s Economic and Infrastructure Committee, said: “Our Employability Service’s Work Based Learning Programme has proven to be a really effective way of supporting out-of-work members of our community.

"It focuses on those who either lack work experience or have not worked for some time. The programme is designed to help people progress into work.”

Councillor Laurie Fraser, the chairman of the Housing and Property Committee, said: “I am delighted that our Property and Facilities Management Service can provide these paid training opportunities, which will provide valuable real work experience and skills to support future employability.”

The facilities opportunities are in Alness, Dingwall, Fortrose, Fort Augustus, Inverness, Nairn, Plockton, Portree Tain and Ullapool.

For further information of these and other available placement opportunities please visit the council's website.

The programme is supported by the Scottish Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee and No One Left Behind Funding.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.