CHILDREN in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area's 16 primary schools are having the opportunity to get an early introduction to how the path to work operates.

Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle Ewing took the opportunity of Portfolio Questions in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, to ask for an update on progress relating to the operation of the Developing the Young Workforce programme in Fife.

And she was delighted with the information provided to her.

Speaking following the exchange, Ms Ewing said: “I was pleased to note that significant progress is being made in Fife regarding the delivery of the Developing the Young Workforce programme and in my supplementary I pressed the Minister further on the participation of Primary School pupils.

“It is my understanding that a key issue for the programme’s architect, Sir Ian Wood, was to see primary school children involved, so I asked the Minister to provide an update as to whether all primary schools in Cowdenbeath constituency are now participating.

“Participation in this scheme should be encouraged so that pupils can be inspired from a young age about the wide opportunities of the world of work.

“I was delighted that the Minister was able to not only confirm that this was the case, but also highlighted some examples of the brilliant work that the young people in schools in my constituency are doing as part of this excellent scheme.”

Developing the Young Workforce Fife is being led by Lochgelly's Bob Garmory, of the Purvis Group, and he reported to the Cowdenbeath Area Committee previously of how things were moving positively but added that he always wanted to see the initiative develop even better.