Scotch helps tackle unemployment

Diageo has joined forces with UK youth employment charity The Prince’s Trust to create a new specialist Scotch whisky retail training scheme.

Daljit Singh, head of private sector relationships at The Prince’s Trust; Peter Lederer, chairman of Diageo Scotland; and Susan Morrison, general manager of The Scotch Whisky Experience

Launching this week, the month-long course will take on 15 unemployed young people in Edinburgh and be carried out by the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh.

In addition to learning about Scotch whisky’s heritage and production, the trainees will learn skills relating to customer service, working with tourists, offering a high quality consumer buying experience and how the retail environment operates. They will also receive CV and interview skills, as well as training in responsible drinking and licensing law.

Diageo’s support for the programme forms part of the drinks group’s “Learning for Life” initiative, which aims to provide young, unemployed people with skills. Meanwhile the provision of a specialist retail course forms one of 70 such “Get Into…” employment training schemes set up by The Prince’s Trust across Scotland.

Commenting on the partnership, Peter Lederer, chairman of Diageo Scotland, said: “Supporting Scotland’s specialist independent whisky retailers with highly trained and knowledgeable staff whilst providing employment opportunities for young people is the perfect match.

“Diageo’s Learning for Life programmes are all about providing valuable technical training, work based experiences, and opening the door to a wide range of exciting career opportunities for young people, which this course will provide. We’re pleased to be partnering The Prince’s Trust and the Scotch Whisky Experience in this initiative.”

Meanwhile Alan Watt, Prince’s Trust director for Scotland said: “The Prince’s Trust is delighted to help young people ‘Get into Specialist Retail’ with a fantastic package of training and work experience. Thanks to our work with the Scotch Whisky Experience and Diageo we have been able to give even more young people across Edinburgh the chance to reach their full potential.”