A north-east charity has secured funding to help at least 20 people find new careers in transport as they transition from the oil and gas sector.
Aberdeen Foyer has been awarded the grant via Energy Transition Zone (ETZ) Ltd, a partner in The North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund, to support people keen to get their HGV/LGV licence.
This will allow them to drive large vehicles over 7.5 tonnes like tippers, flat-beds and curtain-sided vehicles.
Training is delivered through Aberdeen Foyer’s social enterprise, Roadwise Driver Training.
The charity’s employability team will also provide practical advice on CV writing, interview techniques and other skills development.
Aberdeen Foyer, which helps more than 1,600 young people a year, will also use its network of employer contacts to identify available jobs that will allow them to match people with positions.
This scheme is to help retrain people who have been impacted by the shrinking oil and gas sector in the north-east over recent years.
Due to climate change, several changes in the job market in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has forced oil and gas workers to seek alternative employment.
Priority for oil and gas displacements
Anyone over 18 living in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire with a clean licence is eligible to apply.
However, people who have been displaced from the oil and gas sector and applicants from under-represented communities will be prioritised.
Anne Kain, Aberdeen Foyer’s head of employability said “We’re delighted to receive this funding from The ETZ, which enables us to provide valuable reskilling support for people impacted by the recent downturn in the oil and gas sector.
“Many companies are experiencing high demand for LGV drivers due to Covid, Brexit and other economic issues.
“This funding opens up training to connect people with employment opportunities that they may not have been able to access otherwise.”
ETZ Ltd director Andy Rodden said: “It is widely recognised there’s a skills shortage within the transportation sector and this has adversely impacted the north-east’s domestic supply chain.
“I’m delighted that ETZ Ltd is allocating funding to help address this issue by providing LGV training courses to unemployed individuals allowing them to transition into new careers.”
