The job market is tough at the moment and sadly many young people and graduates are being impacted as a result.
That’s why I was so delighted to read a positive jobs story last week – one that will be of interest to youngsters who are keen to learn a trade.
There’s a call-out at the moment for school leavers to train to be a cooper, a hands-on role that will see them working in Scotland’s thriving drinks industry. To be fair, coopering was a new one to me, so it certainly sparked my interest to know more.
Coopers are tradespeople trained to make wooden casks, barrels, vats, buckets, tubs, troughs, and other similar containers from timber staves that are usually heated or steamed to make them pliable.
Journeymen coopers also traditionally made wooden implements, such as rakes and wooden-bladed shovels. In addition to wood, other materials, such as iron, were used in the manufacturing process.
Interestingly enough, the trade is the origin of the surname Cooper and although the trade has been around for centuries, it’s certainly not a commonly known profession. In fact, there are less than 250 time served coopers currently working in Scotland.
Coopers however play an important role in the drinks industry and the demand for their skills is high. For this reason, it’s a valuable trade to learn and the job is well-paid, with time served workers earning up to £65,000 a year.
This is a fantastic opportunity for school leavers who are interested in physical work and learning a trade. It’s a chance to gain skills which are relatively rare in the job market, which is invaluable.
The past year has been extremely difficult for students, with many experiencing disruption to their education as a result of the pandemic.
I’m delighted to see that there are new opportunities out there for young people to gain apprenticeships, learn on the job and build a career for themselves.
Openings such as this will be welcome news for those who feel their exam results have been impacted, or would rather find work than apply for college or university.
Learning a trade is a fantastic career choice to make. If you decide to learn a trade skill, you will be filling a growing need. Not only now, but in the many years to come; which is peace of mind when it comes to job security.
And it’s not only students who benefit from trade apprenticeships – they are highly beneficial for employers too. Training school leavers saves on recruitment costs, allows companies to develop well-trained, highly skilled staff and ensures they secure the best talent.
The drinks industry is also a promising sector for young people to enter into. While it was not immune to the effects of the pandemic – on-trade businesses who supply the hospitality sector were hit hard in particular – it’s a sector which will always be in huge demand.
The food and drink industry is a major contributor to Scotland’s economy. It is worth around £14 billion each year and accounts for one in five manufacturing jobs.
For the right candidates, who have a great work ethic and aren’t afraid to get stuck into physical work, gaining an apprenticeship in the drinks sector will be a fantastic opportunity.
The engineering and manufacturing division of Scottish recruitment specialist, Nine Twenty, is seeking between four and six school leavers to apply to be coopers, and take their first steps on the career ladder.
They have said that the role of Cooperage Operator will pay £6.70 an hour and lead to an apprenticeship for suitable candidates at Oakwood Cooperage – the first new Scottish cooperage business to emerge in the last twenty years, specialising in the sourcing, repair, and rejuvenation of oak casks.
I hope that in coming months, as we begin to gradually rebuild from the pandemic, we will see more opportunities like this become available for school leavers and graduates. In fact, with many of us armed with new found skills and taking up interesting hobbies during lockdown, I wonder if we will see a resurgence of trades that were perhaps previously consigned to the past.
Whatever happens, training, apprenticeships and work experience opportunities should be a big part of the Government’s education recovery plan as we move forward from months of lockdown.
We must invest in our young people and ensure that opportunities are available to them, as they are the future of Scotland’s workforce.
A survey of recruiters indicates employers are hiring again. Scotland’s jobs market looks to be picking up and exceeding other parts of the UK for new job appointments. In fact, last month saw near-record growth in the number of people securing permanent jobs in Scotland.
‘The Royal Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs’ found permanent appointments rose at the second-fastest rate since the labour market survey started in 2003. The data also showed another uptick in temporary staff in Scotland.
Respondents to the report on jobs attributed the staffing increases to increased economic activity, creating greater demand for permanent and temp employees.
The jobs report was released a day after the Bank of England suggested the UK economy will enjoy its fastest growth in more than 70 years in 2021 as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. The economy is expected to expand by 7.25 per cent this year, with extra government spending helping to limit job losses.
April’s rise in permanent job placements across Scotland was faster than that seen across the UK.
Meanwhile, Scottish recruiters registered a fall in the availability of permanent candidates during the month.
Recruiters recorded another rise in temporary vacancies, with the latest upturn the steepest since July 2017. This expansion was also quicker than that registered across the UK as a whole.
The upward trend in jobs comes as employers consider how their workers might operate in the future, with many considering a hybrid model of in-office or at home working.
Of course that’s not possible for every job, some people have to be based at a specific place of work to do the jobs they’re paid to do, but for many could home working be what emerges from our Covid recovery? For the sake of city centre businesses I hope not.
It Made Me Laugh
Gaming fanatics had better dig deep in their pockets if they hope to bag a 24-karat gold Nintendo Wii that was previously gifted to the Queen.
The one-of-a-kind collector’s item was once gifted to the monarch as part of a promo campaign in 2009, before falling into the hands of a hardcore gaming collector.
The 24-karat gold console comes complete with its own gold controller and a copy of Big Family Games, but the current owner is now looking to cash in on the console so that he can buy his own home.
Gamers can snap up the incredible piece of gaming history for a jaw-dropping £215,000 on eBay.
It may be fit for royalty but this is one console I won’t be looking to level up to.
It Made Me Weep
It was disappointing to read of yet another business on the brink of crumbling this week.
The McVitie’s biscuit factory, which has been operating in Glasgow for nearly a century, is facing closure with 500 jobs at risk.
McVitie’s owners said the plant, which produces Hobnobs and Rich Tea biscuits, would close in the second half of 2022 with production moving to other factories in the UK.
The company has blamed ‘excess capacity’ at its plants for the move – a soggy excuse for the workers who worked diligently throughout the pandemic.
At a time when manufacturing has actually looked in a buoyant mood, with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce stating that confidence was high in the first quarter of 2021 for manufacturing, last week’s announcement will certainly leave a bitter taste for staff at the factory.
