Ceremony recognises 7000th person in landmark for Glasgow Guarantee scheme

The 7000^th Glaswegian to benefit from Glasgow City Council's innovative £50million Glasgow Guarantee was recognised at a ceremony in the City Chambers last night.

Jamie Yardley (27) from Shawlands, a trainee mastic applicator at Pro Sealant Solutions, was the 7000^th person to gain either an apprenticeship, job or training place in Glasgow through the scheme since it was launched in 2009.

The 2016 Glasgow Guarantee Awards ceremony, hosted by Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, who received an award from Investors in People recognising the success of the scheme, was the seventh annual celebration of the scheme, and recognised the achievements of both the young people recruited through the programme and the businesses in the city participating in the Glasgow Guarantee.

A number of awards were presented at the event, including that for Jobs with Training Employee of the Year (Demi Lee McLeish);Business Apprentice of the Year 2016 (David McBride);1^st Year Modern Apprentice (Zoe Robertson);Construction Modern Apprentice of the Year (Lauren MacGregor and Lee Gillespie);Modern Apprentice of the Year (Antony Morris and Emma O'Halloran);Graduate of the Year (David Vallance and Ailsa McCaffery);Living Wage Employee of the Year (Hannah Higgins);Business Award for organisations with fewer than 50 Employees (Dandelion Café);Business Award for organisations with more than 50 Employees (Community Build Ltd);Commendation Award (The Clutha Bar); and the Leaders' Choice for1^st Year Modern Apprentice (Antony Morris).

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "The Glasgow Guarantee has been a tremendous success, creating new jobs, apprenticeships and training places for over 7,000 people over the past seven years.  The scheme has also ensured that Glasgow is well placed economically, able to better compete and grow through having a highly-skilled workforce.  I look forward to the Glasgow Guarantee continuing to benefit thousands of Glaswegians, many of the city's businesses and our economy in the years to come."

People living in Glasgow and who fall into the following categories may be eligible for the Glasgow Guarantee:

·        workless young people who are not in full time education, training or employment;

·        school leavers or those thinking of leaving school;

·        workless adults aged 20-29, including graduates who are currently unemployed / underemployed and have graduated within the last 12 months;

·        workless adults aged 50 and over; and

·        workless Armed Forces Veterans.