Recruitment drive for young people has launched

A recruitment drive supported by North Ayrshire Council to help young jobseekers find work is up and running.

Employers across North Ayrshire are being encouraged to join a Personal Recruitment Incentive (PRI) programme that offers grants to businesses that create job opportunities for young people.

North Ayrshire Local Employability Partnership (LEP) is made up of a range of partners who use their combined resources to help reduce unemployment and increase employment across North Ayrshire. The Partnership – which includes North Ayrshire Council – is supporting hundreds of unemployed young people to make positive life changes and progress to employment.

Local employers are invited to create opportunities for young people to secure employment and, in return, are offered a grant of up to £5,500 - 50 per cent of the Real Living Wage - for up to 35 hours per week for up to 26 weeks.

This opportunity is exclusively available to young people preparing for employment through the support delivered by the Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire programme – which is part of the Council’s employability service.

When the programme, funded through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, ran last year it was a great success, with:

• 47 employers registering for the incentive
• 69 young people receiving a job placement and
• 25 completing placements and being kept on by employers.

As part of the PRI scheme, the Council’s employability team helps to match suitable candidates with businesses, while also setting up interviews and work experience placements to lead to employment offers and long-term career pathways.

One of the many success stories is 20-year-old Lucie Galloway, from Irvine, who secured a role with Irvine company Luminae with support from Council employability partner CEIS Ayrshire.

Lucie’s initial barriers to finding employment included a lack of confidence, communications skills and work experience. She wanted to secure part-time or full-time work in the hospitality, retail, or warehouse sectors and needed support with working towards relevant qualifications, boosting her confidence and updating her CV.

She was appointed a key worker and completed various workshops and training courses before applying for – and getting – a Production Operator role with Luminae.

Lucie said: “CEIS Ayrshire offered great support and advice throughout my journey into employment. Their guidance helped me feel more confident and ready for work.”

Lucie’s position was supported through the Council-funded PRI for an initial six-month period – and bosses at Luminae were so impressed by her performance that they kept her on in the role.

Kai-Roy Crawford, 20, joined the PRI as he was looking to build a future in a hands-on career such as joinery, carpentry or landscaping. While he had some good experience under his belt, he needed guidance on CVs, applications and interview preparation.

His key worker at CEIS Ayrshire offered him tailored employability support, including: CV and cover letter development; a skills and qualities workshop; an applications and interview skills workshops and ongoing one-to-one support through the Youth Hub in Stevenston Library.

Kai, from Kilwinning, went on to secure a one-week trial with Struan Boat Building at Fairlie Quay – before being offered a job - and said: “I really appreciate all the support I received throughout the process of getting into work. It’s a great opportunity and I’m really enjoying it.

“It has changed my life and helped me so much on my journey into employment.”

Published: 18 May 2026