SPL clubs to offer jobs to unemployed

MORE than 400 jobs are to be created at top-flight football clubs for out-of-work people, it was announced today.

The 12 clubs in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) are to create 36 jobs each in partnership with the Government, including 12 ground staff and 20 community coaches.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said: "The motivational power of football can transform peoples' lives.

"The new workers will walk through the doors of Scotland's most famous football stadia to get to their work and they will rub shoulders with their idols."

The jobs are part of the latest round of Labour's Future Jobs Fund which will see the creation of 558 jobs in total, including 432 in football, 57 with the council in Edinburgh and 20 people recruited to work at Barnardo's.

The football jobs will see community coaches work with local people to focus on improving health and education. Ground staff will help upgrade and maintain existing playing fields and changing facilities.

Jobless people of all ages who live near any SPL ground can apply for the six-month scheme. Local job centres will handle the applications and follows previous work placements at football clubs.

All employees will gain qualifications to help them into sustained employment, including SFA coaching qualifications levels 1,2 and 3 and advanced coaching techniques.

A total of 9,545 jobs have so far been created under the Future Jobs Fund in eight rounds of funding.

The latest round of funding will also see the creation of 30 jobs at MI Technologies in Glasgow and 15 at the Moray Community Partnership.