Posted: Friday 26 March 2010

Get Ready for Work Students Celebrate Success

Get Ready for Work Students Celebrate Success

Students taking part in Kilmarnock College’s Get Ready for Work programme celebrated their achievements this week at a special ceremony held in the College’s Saltcoats Campus.

Four trainees completed the 26-week programme, delivered in partnership with Skills Development Scotland and Careers Scotland; a fifth trainee was offered employment through successful work placement.

The Get Ready for Work programme equips disengaged young people aged 16-19 with the necessary skills needed for employment. The course covered areas such as employability and team building.  The programme also incorporated work placements.

Anne Malcolm, Kilmarnock College’s Service Leader - Contracts, said: “The Get Ready for Work Programme was run in line with the More Choices More Chances strategy and we have been offering it at Kilmarnock College, in different formats, for several years.

“The course supports young people by helping them move into work, further education or training, allowing them to focus on their ambitions and gain the confidence they need to improve their situation. We are extremely proud of all the young people who have completed this course at Kilmarnock College and wish them the very best for the future.”

Among the successful trainees is Gillian Sillars (18) from Saltcoats.  Before enrolling on the Get Ready for Work programme, Gillian was studying an introductory IT course at the College.

Gillian said: “I really enjoyed my IT course but when it came to an end last year, I didn’t feel ready for a more advanced course or for employment.  I was aware of the Get Ready for Work programme so I contacted Anne Malcolm. It seemed ideal for me and I began the course in October last year.

“The past 26 weeks have been great; the people involved have been fantastic, I made some really good friends and I loved my work placement.  I worked in the reception area of a local office answering the phone, giving people directions and helping out with databases and spreadsheets.  This was a great experience and something I would like to do full-time in the future.”

For further information on courses available at Kilmarnock College please contact 01563 523501 or visit the courses section.

 -END-

For more information, contact:

Denise Clark, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) denise@halogencom.com.        

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