Proud History of Training Apprentices

12 December 2010

In recent days I have met with members of the construction industry who are increasingly concerned about its future.

Large construction companies are going to the wall - the most recent is Rok.

The figures and headlines hide the personal pain for families and individuals who are losing their jobs.

There are also many apprentices losing out on their training and future careers.

I was horrified to learn that people who had already completed several years of their apprenticeships are being paid off without a qualification or anything to show for their years of work.

While they can continue in college, apprenticeships have to be completed in the employment of a relevant employer.

Therefore they can't complete their apprenticeship unless they are taken on by another employer.

Caithness has a proud history of training apprentices.

Employers and sub-contractors to Dounreay take on many young people and provide them with good careers.

We need to ensure that guarantees of continuing contracts are made to those companies so the apprentices they employ can continue their training during this most difficult of times.

We also need to ensure that all employers, large and small, who are able to offer apprenticeships step up to the plate and offer them to young people who are losing their jobs and careers now.

I also believe now is the right time for the introduction of a Scottish Living Wage, which would help families living in poverty.

I and my Labour colleagues back the Living Wage Campaign for a wage of £7 to be introduced and then reviewed annually.

It is estimated that 500,000 workers in Scotland are currently paid less than £7 an hour.

The majority of children in poverty have at least one parent in paid employment so a national living wage would make a real difference to their lives.

It would also mean employers would make savings by retaining staff and thereby reducing recruitment costs.

Such a scheme would also have the advantage of making families of the workers involved less dependent on benefits and tax credits.

Many people criticised the introduction of the minimum wage but it has helped lift people out of poverty.

Under the scheme, central government, local government and health boards would have to pay the living wage and also have to build a living wage into their contracts with the private sector.

A Scottish Living Wage Employer's Award would be developed to encourage wider uptake by employers in the private and voluntary sectors.

We all know money is scarce at the moment but I believe this would be a cost-effective way of helping the poor.

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