NORTH Ayrshire Council is to get a £175,000 cash injection from the Scottish Government to help support young people towards a job.

The funding has been put in place to support the implementation of a new blueprint for work-based training published last year.

The funding – part of £6.5million investment for all Scotland’s local authorities – will go towards developing vocational and employment pathways for young people, strengthening links between schools and employers and helping vulnerable groups become work ready.

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham said: “The latest trends on youth employment have been hugely encouraging but there is no room for complacency.

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting more young women and men into jobs and published a new youth employment strategy last month.

“At the heart of our strategy is the report by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

“We will continue to work closely with our partners in local government and Scotland’s business community on its implementation as part of a seven year plan to create a new world-class system of work-based training that will work for both the economy and the job prospects of our young people.

“I am very pleased to be able to confirm funding for North Ayrshire that will give the local authority additional resource to tailor activity to local need to give young people in the area the best possible chance of success.” Councillor John Bruce, Cabinet Member for Education, Attainment and Achievement said: “We are a Council totally committed to supporting young people into work.

"Our positive destination figures for school leavers are currently at an all-time high, while the recent opening of the Skills Centre of Excellence at Irvine Royal Academy further underlines just how important this issue is with us.

“We are delighted to have received additional support from the Scottish Government and will endeavour to use it to provide even more opportunities for our young people.”