Scottish Enterprise Awards 2017

12 SME NEWS / Scottish Enterprise Awards 2017 , Award for Excellence in Youth & Community Work SCO17003 First Steps Future Training is an innovative training organisation supporting young people and adults across Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire. We invited George Bruce, Operations Manager, to tell us more. First Steps Future Training Company: First Steps Future Training Contact: George Bruce Contact Email: [email protected] Address: Unit 4, 141 Broad Street, Glasgow, G40 2QR, UK Phone: 0141 554 1831 Website: https://www.firststepsfuturetraining.co.uk/ Established in 2012, First Steps aims to help disadvantaged people to gain practical training to assist with their employment prospects. George explains how the organisation works to achieve this aim and provide its service users with the support they need to succeed. “Here at First Steps, we provide practical construction training at our purpose-built training centre in the East End of Glasgow, supporting service users from Glasgow, South and North Lanarkshire, Dunbarton and Renfrew. We differ from our competitors by helpings our learners to build confidence, wellbeing and employability to support progression on to positive destinations. “Our training centre prides itself on supporting disadvantaged young people without qualifications and opportunities to get on the road to work, onto apprenticeships, college courses or into paid employment in trades that suit them. As such, our staff have many years’ experience working within their particular field of training and I was overwhelmed and delighted to find out our staff’s hard work has been recognised in the way, and are humbled to me nominated for this award., and take great pride in their hard work and commitment.” Drawing on a wealth of experience in the training sector, George and his team have a strong understanding of what needs to be done to improve the jobs market and make it easier for disadvantaged people to achieve success, which she is keen to share with us. “Fundamentally, there is a growing gap in trained construction workers in Scotland. To rectify this, it is our belief at First Steps that there should be more forward planning, supported by the Education system from an earlier age.” Looking ahead, First Steps has many exciting plans to continue supporting citizens from across the region and provide them with the skills they need to improve their prospects in an ever evolving jobs marketplace, as George concludes. “Moving forward, we will continue to work closely with our placement companies, taking on board the requirement suited to their business and providing relevant training to our learners which benefit the business environment they will received practical training, for example; Painting & Decorating, Joinery, Brickwork, Blockwork and Hard & Soft Landscaping, Domestic Drainage, Abrasive Wheel, Vehicle Reversing, Health & Safety and CSCS labourers card.”