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Plenary, 01 Oct 2009

01 Oct 2009 · S3 · Plenary

Item of business

Colleges (Economic Recovery)

Craigie, Cathie Lab Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Watch on SPTV

I am sure that members agree that, over the past 10 years, our colleges have been transformed. Members will have experienced that in their own areas, whether the transformation has been in the fabric of college buildings or in the courses and the extent to which they reach out to our communities, the voluntary sector, the business sector and the schools, as Angela Constance mentioned.

I will not talk about all the colleges in Scotland but will focus on Cumbernauld College in particular, not because I am miffed that it does not get a mention in the Scotland's Colleges document "Skills for a Successful Scotland" but because it has such a good story to tell.

In the midst of the recession, Cumbernauld College has been leading the way with short-term responses that focus on specific, emerging issues and long-term incentives that have been created to support the local economy. Its goal must be ours: to respond effectively to the recession and help as many people as possible to gain the necessary skills to help them with future employment.

It is vital that a partnership approach is taken. That is what Cumbernauld College is doing and has been doing for a number of years in coalition with North Lanarkshire Council and East Dunbartonshire Council. Those partnerships, which provide a greater coherence in service delivery and improved access to resources, have been commended in the college's most recent HMIE report.

The success of Cumbernauld College's employability programmes has already been tested and shows the role that the college plays in defending the local economy. When it was announced in February 2003 that the BCM plant in Airdrie, in the constituency of my colleague Karen Whitefield, was closing, the college was tasked with designing and developing a training programme to provide the necessary opportunities for former employees. It succeeded so well that the programme won the college a national training award.

The college also plays a major national role with its support employment programme, which focuses on employability. It is a 10-week course carried out in partnership with Careers Scotland, Jobcentre Plus, Glasgow employers coalition, Rangers Football Club and Celtic Football Club. The course is delivered at the respective football clubs and has proved to be a great success, with 500 of the 800 participants moving into employment or finding other positive outcomes. The college has been steadfast in trying to expand it, and I was thrilled when informed that a further two courses would take place at Clyde Football Club's home ground, Broadwood stadium, in my constituency.

With regard to national programmes, the college is committed to the more choices, more chances agenda for 16 to 19-year-olds who have particular social barriers with regards to employment and education. That is right. Since April 2008, the college has trained 32 young people who have moved into permanent employment in a variety of sectors. Another 34 are now in full-time further education. Without centres like Cumbernauld College leading the way on such initiatives and on innovative programmes, many disadvantaged young people would be stuck on the dole queue and at home doing nothing.

In November 2008, Cumbernauld College took the decision to employ an employer intermediary to ensure that the maximum engagement took place between the college and all business sectors and that the development of skills not only continued but expanded during the economic uncertainty. Staff competence, confidence and motivation have been enhanced, and productivity is improved by programmes that develop a person's skills. That investment in improving skills has also been demonstrated in the college's important partnership with unions. Cumbernauld College supports more than 120 employees at Co-operative Retail Logistics, Carstairs hospital, HM Revenue and Customs, Premier Foods, Tesco and the Royal Mail, so members can see that Cumbernauld College is able to spread itself widely.

Through its work with trade unions, employees and companies, the college has been able to remedy problems with language and IT skills. More and more workers are becoming adept at new technologies that are useful to them for their present employment, in life and for the labour market in future. The policy has proved so successful that the college has been forced to create a waiting list, so that more people can become involved.

Cumbernauld College works in partnership with a wide range of local businesses, with courses that are designed to meet the needs of the business and that are structured to meet the needs of the student. In conjunction with North Lanarkshire community planning partnership, the college has been working hard to re-engage the long-term unemployed and assist them on the road to work. The college provides a number of courses, each with specific targets for delivering employability. They include placement programmes, hospitality courses and personal development programmes, to name but a few.

The economic downturn has had global consequences, and many people in Scotland have been faced with unemployment. In order to stem the tide, we must encourage partnership. We cannot stand back and do nothing, as happened during previous recessions. It happened under the Tories, as Murdo Fraser failed to acknowledge in his speech. We must be proactive in ensuring that people get the support and opportunities that they need. That is what is happening at Cumbernauld College.

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Plenary, 01 Oct 2009

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