| Two organisations from the Dunfermline area – West Fife Enterprises Ltd and Fife Women’s Technology Centre – have made it through to the final selection. They are joined by Amanda Allan, who runs the Kirkcaldy-based beauty salon and spa, Heavenly Sensations.
The NTAs, now in their 18th year, are managed in Scotland by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
They are the UK’s premier accolade for organisations and individuals who have achieved excellence through training.
Winners are committed to “exceptional training that has real benefits for the business, the community and the individual”.
West Fife Enterprises runs a successful training programme aimed at helping unemployed people from a disadvantaged former mining area.
Having placed 190 people – 73 per cent of its clients – into jobs in the last three years, and with 90 per cent still working six months later, the project has achieved more than double the success of the New Deal Programme.
Fife Women’s Technology Centre (FWTC) was highlighted because of its success in breaking down gender barriers in the electronics and IT sectors.
The technology training programme has enabled more than 500 long-term unemployed women gain new skills and qualifications and progress into employment or higher education.
In contrast, Heavenly Sensations has been in existence for less than a year but has already made a big impact. Founder Amanda Allan is up for an NTA as an example of someone who has succeeded through pursuing training programmes.
After taking on a few part-time jobs and gaining more qualifications, she eventually opened her own business. Today Amanda employs five staff and also offers placements to Get Ready For Work candidates.
Hazel Mathieson, director of learning and skills at Scottish Enterprise Fife, said, “These three quite different examples of successful training programmes demonstrate the ways in which learning can change people’s professional and personal lives for the better.” |
