END OF AN ERA IN EMPLOYABILITY TRAINING IN FIFE

Lauder College can today confirm that it has not been successful in the recent award of three new deal contracts We confirm that these contracts account for over one third of our annual income, in our Levenmouth and New Row Employment and Enterprise Centres. We also now announce that the New Deal Mentoring contract that Lauder has delivered in Fife for over 6 years will not be re-contracted. This will jeopardise the role of around 90 professional volunteer mentors who support individuals throughout their first few months of employment and business start-ups.

Commenting on the news Dunfermline West MP Willie Rennie, stated "The loss of these contracts is a major setback for the local communities in Fife. The Fife Training Partnership including Lauder College have invested and developed a strong infrastructure and built up the trust of our communities and business over many years resulting in the delivery of outstanding results in some of Scotland's most deprived areas. I am particularly concerned that a monopoly situation will be created in Fife in which one sole provider will manage all New Deal provisions. To me this appears to go against previous public sector policy of not allowing monopoly situations to develop in an attempt to drive down costs. I am led to believe that The Scottish Executive has advised that all private sector providers should engage via the Fife Community Planning Partnership and my understanding is that this has not happened. To my mind this new process of procurement has not, to date, appeared to take an acceptable degree of openness and transparency. The delivery of sustainable jobs in Fife should be about effective partnership working and early intervention to support unemployed people. It is about careful co-ordinated employability training and supportive services, job placing, aftercare and support. In Fife this is already working remarkably well, and something that we should be proud of. From what I have seen and heard to date of the new model I now fear for the future"

Employment and Enterprise (E&E), part of Lauder College, has been operating in Fife for over 18 years, and during that time its staff have supported hundreds of people within the area to find employment, turn a business idea into reality, return to study or change career path. In 2000 The Queens Anniversary Prize was awarded in recognition for services to the unemployed and six years later we have improved our services even further, becoming owned and respected by the communities in which we operate. This is nowhere more evident than in the Levenmouth Centre.

Since moving into its new purpose built complex within the regenerated Methil Docks in 2004, Employment & Enterprise Levenmouth has supported 73 new business Start ups, with another 52 at the business planning phase, as well as successfully placing more than 900 people into new jobs. What's more is that since 2003 over 85% of business start-ups are still trading and expanding compared to a national average of 53%.

Lauder College Principal Bill McIntosh stated "It is widely recognised nationally that Lauder College has achieved remarkable success in both training and business development though our Employment and Enterprise centres, with many Scottish politicians and business leaders visiting our centres and taking a genuine interest in its unique recipe for success.

Perhaps one of the most amazing aspects of Lauder's Employment and Enterprise work is the number of sustainable new business that have been established and sustained in the Levenmouth area. Fife has a very poor track record of new business start-ups and this area is one of the least likely where you would expect to see such success. However, these achievements are, I believe, down to the enormous dedication, a deep understanding of the economic needs of the area, and the innovative partnership working that our staff have build up over a number of years. These statistics are quite remarkable and have probably not been equaled in any other area of multiple deprivation in Scotland."

"We regret that we find ourselves in this situation however, we understand, that during the financial year 2005-06 the Department of Work and Pensions introduced a significant budget cut to its key agency Job Centre Plus. This appears to have resulted in a new approach to the tendering and future management of Jobcentre Plus Contracts that will effectively allow only one provider to manage each of Scotland's regions, rather than allowing a local partnership approach to be taken, where the real issues are known."

"It is even more unfortunate that the Fife Training Partnership bid of 14 organisations and involving a vast array of employers, with a proven track record in delivery, and led by Fife Council failed at the first hurdle of the tendering process. This is not to say that the new provider will be unable to cater for local needs. It does mean, however, that partnership working for which Lauder has become recognised for will not continue in its current form, and much of the success that we have had to date in Levenmouth and Dunfermline will be lost. Indeed it would appear that this new model for awarding contracts goes against the new Scottish Executives employability strategy, in its current model"

Graeme Dalziel Chairman of the Board at Lauder College and Chief Executive of Dunfermline Building Society went on to add "In view of the success so far, and our contribution to regeneration in East Central Scotland, it is beyond my comprehension as to how a national provider with no track record in Fife and no infrastructure, will be able to provide a level of service to continue improving employability. It seems to me that Lauder and that of the Fife Training Partnership as a whole is one of best practice that should be spread across the whole of Scotland."

Prof. McIntosh concluded "Clearly the loss of such a large contract will have an impact on the running of our Employment and Enterprise Centres, and we will be reviewing our operational requirements over the next few weeks. However, it is our intention to continue to develop our Centres in New Row, Dunfermline and Thomson House, Methil, to meet the needs of the local economy, and to work with our Fife partners to continue to build upon the excellent foundations established over recent years. We trust that this will not impact adversely on our customers and partners other than those falling into the New Deal category.

In addition we will be delighted to work with new partners to ensure that our customers, past, present and future have the best possible opportunities to benefit from the services we provide to the people of Fife."

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Interview opportunities available, please contact Anthony Winney, Marketing & PR Manager on 01383 845073, email awinney@lauder.ac.uk

Notes to Editors - Quotes for former Clients and stakeholders.

Former client, Zander Donaldson of Bear Designs Scotland expressed his surprise "I was most disturbed to read about the threat to both Thomson House and the invaluable service provided by Lauder Employment and Enterprise. I cannot praise the work carried out at Thomson House highly enough. The services provided by Lauder Employment and Enterprise, and more importantly, so expertly delivered by the team, are in my opinion, second to none. Having been made redundant and finding it very difficult to re-enter the workplace a few years ago, finding the Training for Work Programme was the most important step forward for me at the most critical of times. I also feel that the fact it was delivered locally by local people with a vested interest in the local community, and in such a dynamic way, was also a vital part in my success. Since I became self employed, my company has turned over nearly £1million, and we have been responsible for nearly £6million worth of commercial refurbishments all over Scotland in under 3 years. Our work also ensures that other local companies, joiners, plumbers, electricians, decorators, tilers etc, as well as local material suppliers have continued business. I have recently started talking to an investor about a multi-million pound hotel contract in Tunisia. Should this progress as we hope, the likelihood is that this contract will be undertaken by Scottish tradesmen using Scottish suppliers, and would be a significant export, something I hope to build on and promote over the next few years. I can honestly say that none of the above would have been possible without the help, training, advice support, and of course the excellent back-up and facilities provided by Lauder. I cannot imagine the travesty if these elements were lost to the community. I will always be forever grateful for the amazing opportunity that was afforded to me through Lauder Employment and Enterprise at Methil.

An other of the many people who have benefited from Employment and Enterprise is Kathleen Edward of Tartan Teuchters. Kathleen had been made redundant from her part time Job, and had been out of work for some time. Add to this the responsibilities of looking after her family and the fact that she had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis; Kathleen had severe doubts if she would ever work again, not just have a rewarding career. On hearing about the decision Kathleen commented "I was horrified to learn of the threat to Employment and Enterprise at Thomson House in Methil. I attended a course in 2003-2004 and the staff there could not have been more helpful and constructive in helping me to launch my own business, TARTAN TEUCHTERS, in 2003. Lauder Employment and Enterprise provided me with the ability to believe in myself and my idea for training and supported me every step of the way. They don't just put you out the door once you have finished. Even today they are always available to offer invaluable advice and support, in an approachable way. Such a resource, with dedicated staff experienced in local issues, is too precious to be 'put out to tender to the most competitive bid'. If it's not broken then don't try to fix it! My own business continues to grow and I would like to think that other people in Levenmouth and the East Neuk have the same opportunity I had to benefit from such a valuable resource."

Fraser Phillips Managing Director of Silberline stated, " We have worked and supported Lauder Employment and Enterprise and its staff in their work. Lauder offered much much more than simply training and any reduction in its role will have a negative effect on the Levenmouth area. It is to be regretted that a shining example of best practice suffers as a result of political decisions of this sort made with little knowledge of local situations.