Renfrewshire Council to help create another 100 jobs

Renfrewshire Council will help create another 100 jobs by continuing a successful initiative encouraging businesses to take on young and unemployed people.

Over the past four years more than 840 local people have gotten into work through new posts created with the help of Invest in Renfrewshire’s incentives to employers.

The new jobs were on top of an extra 430 paid traineeships and internships that were also created over the same time.

The Invest in Renfrewshire Employers Recruitment Incentive helps businesses meet the cost of employing an extra member of staff who may need time to build-up experience and skills needed in the job.

It was launched by Renfrewshire Council in 2012 but for the past few years has been jointly funded by the council, European Social Funds and the Scottish Government.

After national contributions to the programme ended in January councillors approved plans to continue funding the programme, along with the European Social Funds, for another year.

The convener of Renfrewshire Council’s economy and jobs policy board, Councillor Roy Glen, said: “We are determined to drive the economy forward and do everything we can to help create jobs for local people.

“This is a great programme that does exactly that, so we authorised Invest in Renfrewshire – our own programme for boosting employment and growing the local economy – to step into the gap and make sure it keeps delivering for local people.

“By paying half of the new worker’s wages for six months our new Invest in Renfrewshire Employers Recruitment Incentive will make it less risky for businesses to take on new staff.”

He added: “The scheme no longer has to be aligned with national funding criteria. Continuing with it now under local direction means we can make improvements.

“This Invest in Renfrewshire Employers Recruitment Incentive will offer businesses a more streamlined payment structure, making it easier for them to take part.

“We will also extend the initiative to the over 50s, helping people in this age group get vocational training and subsidised work experience leading to sustainable employment.”