Published on:
04
July 2013
Young people in Clackmannanshire are set to benefit from an overall £1.7 million Scottish Government investment to help young people find employment in central Scotland.
Clackmannanshire will receive £64,376 from the Youth Employment Scotland Fund, supporting 20 jobs.
The investment forms part of an £87.85 million package outlined by First Minister Alex Salmond last month.
The package includes the £50 million Youth Employment Scotland Fund and the £37.85 million SME Growth Programme to help employers take on young people and develop capacity for growth.
This follows a further drop in the 16 to 24 claimant count for central Scotland from May 2012 to May 2013. In Clackmannanshire there has been a 16 per cent drop from 605 to 510.
Welcoming the news, the Council's Enterprise and Environment Convener, Councillor Donald Balsillie, said: "Supporting more young people into jobs is a top priority for this administration. We are working hard to improve the employment options available and these very positive figures from Clackmannanshire, demonstrate that our work is producing results.
"Our efforts so far have included a guaranteed offer of a place in education or training for every 16-19 year old."
Minister for Youth Employment Angela Constance said: "Since my appointment as Minister for Youth Employment in December 2011, youth unemployment in Scotland has fallen from 25.4 per cent to 15.2 per cent. Now we have one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in Europe.
"I am very pleased to see this trend reflected in central Scotland, but we must ensure we are not complacent and keep pushing for every young person to be able to take firm steps towards sustainable employment, even in this difficult economic climate."