Scottish government to use £25 million of European money for training

15:30 21st April 2009

The Scottish government has announced that £25 million of European funding will be used to provide additional training opportunities.

Alex Salmond, the Scottish first minister, told delegates at a Scottish National Party conference in Glasgow that nearly £100 million of European money has been earmarked to help stimulate the Scottish economy.

While computer training courses and programming careers could benefit from the funding, regeneration and business growth could be prompted with a £70 million cash injection.

Mr Salmond told the conference: "Delegates - we've got what it takes, with investment in education, in jobs and in the industries of today and tomorrow."

He added that continued investment should put Scotland in the best possible position to welcome economic recovery when the current recession draws to a close.

The money earmarked for skills training will benefit 75,000 people across Scotland.

Figures recently released by Skills Development Scotland reveal that several hundred construction apprenticeships in the country have been ended due to recessionary pressures, according to a BBC report.