A north-east engineer made redundant from his job in oil and gas has been granted funding to retrain for a new career in the whisky industry.
John Westwood will embark on the General Certificate in Distilling later this year, thanks to money from the £12million Transition Training Fund.
Announced by Nicola Sturgeon earlier this year, it is aimed at helping oil and gas workers apply their skills to other areas of the energy sector and beyond.
It is being run by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), on behalf of the Scottish Government.
In March, Elgin-based Mr Westwood raised concerns in the Press and Journal that the requirement an employment offer be in place prior to a grant being confirmed meant the policy was of no help.
But that caveat has now been removed and his application for support has been successful.
Mr Westwood said today that both SDS and Richard Lochhead, who took up his cause as his local MSP, deserved “huge credit”.
He added: “One because it is an excellent initiative, but secondly because they have had the courage to admit it wasn’t working and change it in a way to make sure it is fit for purpose.
“Governments and public departments don’t often change their thinking but because they have in this case, and quickly, I have received funding which will give me a great opportunity in developing new skills.”
His comments came as a website enabling people to apply to the fund online went live.
Mike Duncan, director of Energy Skills Scotland (part of SDS), said: “As the sector continues to restructure, it’s vital that this rich resource of skills and experience is retained and redeployed in relevant areas of the energy, engineering and manufacturing sectors.
“The Transition Training Fund aims to do that, helping those affected by redundancy access support for training, certification or accreditation that will allow them to find new employment.”
The fund is open to anyone who has worked in the oil and gas sector or its supply chain as an employee or contractor and has either been made redundant or is at risk of redundancy. They must live in Scotland.
Applicants must be actively looking for work and be able to show that the training they wish to undertake will help them find a new job.
For more information, visit www.transitiontrainingfund.co.uk or call SDS on 0808 100 1855.