Trainee scheme to see 15 people swap dole for Tynecastle

HEARTS are topping the league by offering unemployed youngsters the leg-up of their dreams.

The club is leading the way in a new scheme to get young people off the dole and working alongside their footballing heroes.

The Tynecastle outfit are offering 15 people a job for six months under the SPL scheme – more than any other club in the league.

Placements range from chef to ground staff and community coaches.

City rivals Hibs are also taking part and offering six jobs.

The traineeships are open to anyone aged 18-24 years old who has been on the dole for at least six months – not just fans of the club.

The jobs might only offer the minimum wage, but there will be perks for some, according to Hearts' head of corporate responsibility, Tam Hendry.

He said: "The digital media and marketing assistant will be meeting the players almost on a daily basis, because they'll be doing interviews with them, although it very much depends on where the trainees are going to be whether they'll get to meet them."

He added: "The majority of the applicants are Hearts fans, but not exclusively."

Shortlisted candidates are now being interviewed.

Mr Hendry said: "Within 24 hours of advertising the jobs in Jobcentres there had been ten applications for each post.

"We've got people who have degrees and a lot of skills, but have been on the dole and have found it difficult to get a foot on the ladder.

"I think the effect of an SPL club like Hearts taking part draws that extra interest – we can reach out to young people that maybe wouldn't be aware of the jobs otherwise."

Placements begin on 14 June, and although they only last six months, Mr Hendry hopes they will make all the difference to the young recruits.

He said: "We've just got a real concern for young people who are languishing on the dole, we want to get as many people into work as we can."

The jobs have been created as part of the SPL's Working Futures scheme, with all 12 top-flight clubs taking part.

There were fears that the project could fall through when the new government axed the Future Jobs Fund, which provides the cash. But the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) came to the rescue, providing funding for the first round of jobs.

Donna MacKinnon, director of employment services at SCVO, said: "It's great to see Hearts in particular taking such an enthusiastic approach to helping young people.

"We hope that the new coalition government will recognise that both the voluntary sector and the world of sport are highly skilled when it comes to helping people to find meaningful work."