Industry Alliance for Jobs

The Industry Alliance for Jobs initiative (IAfJ), announced as part of the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum, aims to build on the capacity of local learning centres in the learndirect scotland branded network to deliver high quality, industry-led training.

It is an initiative to improve the IT skills of 100,000 disadvantaged Scots by 2010, with the aim of helping them to find long-term employment. The partners are committed to improving the employability of hard-to-reach individuals and addressing the demand by employers for staff with high level IT skills.

The initiative will also extend the number of community learning centres delivering Microsoft and Cisco courses.

"We believe that this will lead to higher skilled and higher paid employment opportunities for young people, the long-term unemployed and those who are economically inactive," said Damien Yeates, chief executive of Skills Development Scotland. "We are committed to working with our partners to ensure that highly marketable IT skills are delivered through demand-led learning provision. Our commitment is to provide access to IT training for 100,000 disadvantaged individuals by 2010."

Key to the success of the Alliance will be the Hub Academies who will be pivotal in delivering support to learners and local Satellite Academies in their area.

The Hub network is already in place and several satellites have been recruited by the Hubs in their areas. The recruitment of satellites is set to continue this year and application to become a satellite centre should be directed to the Hub in the relevant area.

 The Hubs and their contacts are as follows:

• Banff and Buchan College
  Lynda Slessor lslessor@banff-buchan.ac.uk 01346 586100
  Duncan Abernethy dabernethy@banff-buchan.ac.uk 01346 586100
   
• ECTA (Edinburgh Community Technology Academy)
  Karen Malone Karen.Malone@edinburghchamber.co.uk 0131 442 1400
  Roger Horam Roger.Horam@edinburghchamber.co.uk 0131 221 3186
    
• North Highland College
  Fiona MacIntosh Fiona.MacIntosh@thurso.uhi.ac.uk 01847 889444
   
• Synergi / ITP
  Steven Nelson steven.nelson@synergiesystems.co.uk 01463 227580
   

• JHP Training
  Arlene Callan Arlene.Callan@jhptraining.com 0141 248 4746 / 01698 327824

• University of West of Scotland
  Brian Cross Brian.Cross@uws.ac.uk 0141 848 3302

• Dundee College
  Wendy McEwan w.mcewan@dundeecollege.ac.uk 01381 834880
  David Scott d.scott@dundeecollege.ac.uk 01382 834880

A DVD and a publication, Industry Alliance for Jobs, have been produced by the partners to demonstrate how learning centres throughout Scotland are already helping individuals to achieve the industry-recognised skills demanded by employers.
For copies, please e-mail info@sds.co.uk

For further information including coverage area for Hubs mentioned above, please contact Lindsey on lindseym@learndirectscotland.com