A GROUP of 12 unemployed people have graduated from Diageo’s award-winning ‘Learning for Life’ training programme and are now equipped with the required skills to embark on careers in the hospitality industry.

The group benefitted from placements at a number of club and pub facilities in Fife, including Lochore Institute, and celebrated their achievements at a special ceremony at Dunfermline Athletic Football Club which was attended by Jim Leishman, Provost of Fife.

The Diageo Learning for Life: Hospitality and Bartending programme, provides coaching, core employability skills and specialist bartender training, opening the door to a wide range of exciting career opportunities in the Scottish hospitality industry.

And one of the successful students comes from Kinglassie.

As part of the training programme, students had the chance to gain valuable hands-on experience through a series of work placements with some of Fife’s prominent hospitality businesses, including Dine at 29, Gather & Gather, Lourenzos, The Commercial Inn, Coadys Bar and Fire Station Creative in Dunfermline, as well as Tipsy Cow and Society Café & Bar in Kirkcaldy, Drummonds Hotel in Markinch and Lochore Miners Welfare Social Club.

During the training programme, students visited Glenkinchie Distillery and The Scotch Whisky Experience, to gain insight in to Scotland’s lucrative whisky industry. They were also treated to exclusive sessions with hoteliers at the Radisson Collection Hotel in Edinburgh and Pitbauchlie House Hotel in Dunfermline, which included behind the scenes tours and a Q&A session.

Lochgelly man, Jim Leishman, Provost of Fife, said: “The graduates should be proud of themselves, and their achievements over the past six weeks.

“I would like to offer my thanks to Diageo, on behalf of Fife Council, for bringing the Learning for Life course to the area, as well as thanking the local hospitality businesses for their participation and support.

"It really shows what a prestigious course this is and it’s great to see another group of graduates succeeding with the training programme.”

Nicola Reid, Diageo Learning for Life Programme Manager for Great Britain and Europe, congratulated the graduates: “The Scottish hospitality industry is booming, providing many excellent career opportunities.

“We are all excited to see where the next step takes them and wish them every success as they utilise their new-found skills and confidence.”

More than 1,000 unemployed people have graduated from the Diageo Learning for Life programme since its launch in 2014, with 81% of graduates going on to further training or employment and 78% securing long-term employment – making it one of the Scotland’s leading employability schemes.

The course is delivered by The Springboard Charity, Diageo’s specialist training partner. Commenting on the recent tranche of graduates, Elaine Muir, Programme Manager for Springboard in Fife, said: “Their commitment and enthusiasm in completing the programme of training leaves me with no doubt that they will be a wonderful asset to any business".

Course graduate William Pirrie (18), from Kinglassie, said: “The Diageo Learning for Life course has been a really positive experience.

"Developing my skills, increasing my independent learning, gaining industry qualifications, and employability training, will all help me to achieve my goal of gaining employment within the hospitality sector.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on this amazing course.”