LOCHGELLY High School was extremely proud to welcome three of the partners into the school to launch the third year of the very successful Employability Programme to the S4 group.

Archie Smith (Managing Director of FiFab), explained to pupils why his company has an involvement in the Programme.

He said “Our partnership with Lochgelly High School is part of our long standing commitment (21 years) to the communities we operate in.

“FiFab, along with other companies in Fife, must ensure that we can provide high value opportunities for them now and in the future.” He explained that the programme was designed to help pupils realise their ambition of becoming a machinist, an engineer or even a manager.

“Through a number of work placement opportunities we offer a chance to try all positions at Fife Fabrications whether it is IT, working with CAD/CAM computers, or operating key machinery,” he added. “We try and instil the belief in young people who come through, that whatever they would like to achieve, we are here to encourage and guide them, so that they can make positive choices for their future. We teach them all about work ethic and how to become a team player. We consider the sponsorship not only a necessity for the future of manufacturing but also for future generations who have never even thought of going into the manufacturing business”.

Bob Garmory (Business Development Manager of Lochgelly based Purvis) talked about the fantastic opportunity the employability programme offered young people and the need for them to engage with it.

He said that local employers were investing in the young people of Lochgelly High School by giving them a chance to work with Purvis and other local businesses to gain real work experience and learn employability skills to help them get into meaningful employment.

“One of the many important skills we teach is the value of timekeeping in the workplace and not being late for work,” he said.

“In addition, building confidence, raising aspirations and improving motivation can be valuable starting points when it comes to a young person articulating themselves in interviews.” Bob talked about building a good CV and how working as a volunteer, or being a member of the cadets, guides etc, can go a long way to making a CV stand out.

He pointed out that is also equally important for a young person to know how to conduct themselves when attending an interview, “It goes a long way if someone comes in for interview, smiles and shakes your hand,, and saying thank-you at the end of the interview will always ensure that you are remembered.” Willie Rennie (Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats) and a Fifer, spoke about his upbringing in Strathmiglo, where his family ran the village shop and about his schooling at Bell Baxter High, in Cupar, before going to Paisley College of Technology where he studied a Bsc degree in biology.

He enthused about about the number of jobs he had as a young person and whether it was bagging tatties in his dad’s shop, to running the Union bar at university, he always gave his all to the task in hand.His message was one of resilience and being the best you can be.