For many employers, finding the right staff to take their business forward is no easy task. For those recruiting young people straight from school, ensuring candidates are ready for the world of work is a common concern.

The Certificate of Work Readiness scheme from Skills Development Scotland (SDS) aims to help employers and young people, offering businesses a way of identifying new talent, and groups such as school leavers the chance to gain valuable work skills.

Using the key attributes firms look for when employing staff, the scheme offers a mixture of work experience and employer assessments to prove that a young person, aged 16 to 19, has reached an employer defined standard.

For businesses, it helps identify ‘job ready’ staff, the scheme comes with support from training providers, and for firms taking on young people who have achieved the Certificate of Work Readiness, it offers a guarantee that a candidate has achieved a set level of experience and skills.

The certificate also gives a young person the chance to demonstrate the value they can bring to a business, giving them work experience, a chance to impress prospective employers, and an industry recognised SQA accredited qualification upon completion.

It takes around ten weeks to complete and includes a minimum of 190 hours work experience, with training providers offering support to minimise the time businesses need to spend on the process.

With a marketing campaign from SDS currently encouraging more businesses to become involved in the employability scheme, here’s a look at how it has benefited some young people and employers so far.

A Glasgow restaurant took on a talented youngster in their kitchen after getting involved in the Certificate of Work Readiness scheme.

Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery gave work experience to 17-year-old Amy McKinley through the employability programme, and now she’s working in the pastry section of the restaurant’s kitchen having been taken on as a Modern Apprentice.

Two Fat Ladies’ Managing Director Ryan James explained: “I got involved with Certificate of Work Readiness simply because it is a great way of encouraging young people into the industry which I feel is very important.”

He worked closely with Angela Smith from Jobs & Business Glasgow to offer a work experience placement at the restaurant. She matched Amy with the restaurant team, thinking it would work well for everyone.

Angela said: “This work experience placement came at the right time for Amy as she was 100% committed to it and immediately established a good working relationship with the people there.

“The feedback on her time there was brilliant and it was terrific that she was offered an apprenticeship.”

Ryan added: “Amy’s whole attitude to work was great from the start. She was grateful for the experience and was very willing to learn. She fitted with the team and has a good temperament which is important in any workplace, but especially in our business.”

Ryan cited Amy’s ability to work well as a team member as one of the main reasons she was offered an apprenticeship.

The former Hillhead Secondary pupil was delighted to accept and said she has learned a huge amount since last September.

She said: “I started cooking with my Gran when I was really young and I knew that this is what I always wanted to do. To be working at Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery is amazing. I actually can’t believe that I am here sometimes.”

“I am working in the pastry section at the moment and am really enjoying it. My favourite dish to cook at the moment is Bakewell Tart and it is great to think that something I have made is part of a lovely meal that people enjoy eating in the restaurant.”