The figures, released as part of a national Legacy Week for Glasgow 2014, also showed that the Commonwealth Graduate Fund - part of Glasgow City Council's £50 million ($83 million/€61 million) Glasgow Guarantee - has found work for more than 500 graduates, which is half way to its final target.

So far, the initiative has helped previously unemployed graduates into employment in a range of sectors, including accountancy, advertising, business, construction, design, engineering, human resources, IT, law, management, public relations and retail.

"We want to give Glaswegians the skills and opportunities to find work and fulfil their aspirations for a brighter future," Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said.

"The more skilled people we have in the city, and the more we link these skills to the needs of business, the easier it is to attract future investment and jobs.

"This is a win-win situation for Glasgow and everyone that lives here.

"By linking these aspirations to our excellent legacy employment and training projects we are ensuring that the Commonwealth Games will continue to help our city's citizens flourish and the city's economy grow for years to come.

"It makes sense both economically and socially to support Glaswegians as they either begin their working life or try to find new skills to find new job opportunities."

The Glasgow Guarantee aims to ensure all Glaswegians aged between 16 and 24 have access to a job, apprenticeship or training as part of the Commonwealth Games legacy
©Glasgow 2014


Glasgow, which saw its unemployment rate rise sharply during the recession from seven per cent in 2008 to 11.7 per cent in 2012, is also starting work to "create a new vision for youth employment", which it hopes will better meet the jobs needs of young people and business.

This project aims to provide services that prepare young people for employment in the city to give them the best chance of competing for the jobs available.

"The issue of youth employment has huge implications for the economic health and growth of Glasgow and all its citizens - that is why we have to work in partnership to get it right for our city, our young people and our businesses," Matheson said.

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