How small firms in Scotland can now find people to power up potential
'This is a critical moment for small businesses in Scotland because the environment is changing so rapidly, you need to be agile and adaptive,' explains Mr Walker. 'We need a national campaign to help young people realise opportunities, not just in the big industrial powerhouses, who we work with every day, but in the lifeblood of the economy - the small businesses.
'We know that it can be hard to attract talent when you don't have the same resources as bigger competitors.'
He adds: 'That's where SB1000 comes in.'
Open to companies with fewer than 50 employees, SB1000 provides members with the chance to gain national exposure through The Herald and connect with major industry leaders.
Membership costs £1000 and includes exclusive benefits and opportunities.
Mr Walker explains: 'The money raised helps to fund our schools programme, in every part of the country, generating incredible social value and community benefit.
'At the same time, we are raising awareness of the opportunities there are to come and work for your business.
'If we can get someone with the right attitude to your company, we know you can teach them to do the job.
'For a small business, finding the right people and keeping them is essential and that's where our programmes come in. It's about powering the future of your business, as you're powering the future of Scotland's young people.'
Ava McFeat-Marjoribanks and Aiden Naweed are in sixth year at St Mungo's High School in Falkirk, where they participated in the Powering Futures Challenge Programme.
This SCQF Level 6 qualification aims to help students develop 'meta-skills' – such as communication, teamwork and critical thinking - by setting them significant challenges posed by real businesses.
For Ava, it was an 'eye-opener', she says. 'It's definitely made me really think differently about what I want to do when I leave school,' she says.
'You don't really think about small businesses when you're talking about careers, but this has opened my eyes to the opportunities that exist.
'It's also helped me become more confident. I wasn't a very talkative person, especially in large groups of people but now I am and that's helped me in my part-time job and in life in general.'
(Image: FutureX co-founder Bruce Walker is now an advisor with Powering Futures)
Ava, who is hoping to work in marketing, adds: 'It was exciting to work with a real business, because we knew what we were doing was tackling a real world problem, so it felt like we were actually achieving something.'
Aiden agrees. 'Powering Futures has made me think more about what opportunities exist for me in business,' he says.
'It gave me confidence, and it really helped me with problem-solving, which helped me in my other courses and classes too.'
He adds: 'I think it would be exciting to work for a small business, because you're new, but sometimes so are they, and you can build things together.'
SB1000 is an important 'next step' for Powering Futures, says its co-founder Jennifer Tempany.
'Powering Futures exists to help develop the workforce of the future for the jobs of the future,' she explains.
'We work with young people across the entire country, in schools, leaving college or university, and in the workplace, and the programmes we deliver are helping uncover talent and make sure the right people are getting into the right jobs.'
She adds: 'We have been working with a range of companies across Scotland for five years, and we want to build on that success by reaching out to small businesses so they can have the same opportunities to attract, develop and retain talent.
'Both small businesses and schools are at the heart of their communities. We want to help connect them through SB1000, so young people can thrive, and those businesses can thrive.'
With more than one million monthly readers across Scotland, The Herald is one of the country's most trusted and influential news platforms.
David Ward, managing director of Newsquest Scotland, owners of The Herald, said:
'The Herald has a part to play, not just in holding politics and business to account, but also in inspiring the next generation into entrepreneurship, exciting innovation and creativity in business.
'SB1000 is a new way of bringing education and business closer together and it is a great opportunity for small businesses, anywhere in Scotland, or to use our platforms to tell their stories, to help everyone understand the challenges they face and to attract new talent across the country.'
Find out more about SB1000 at www.poweringfutures.com
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