The Job Rotation model addresses three needs in the Scottish Economy:
- The need to support the development of small and medium sized companies.
- The need to continuously develop the skills of our workforce.
- The need to break the vicious cycle of unemployment experienced by some people living in Scotland.
The model supports small companies by providing a training needs analysis. It enables delivery of training by releasing staff for learning while production is kept going through the employment of formerly unemployed people. People benefit from training and personal development support which greatly enhances their prospects of job retention.
Job Rotation was first brought to the UK by the WEA in 1995. Developed through international and local partnerships, the programme has delivered a wide range of projects with support from the European Social Fund (ESF), Scottish Enterprise and Local Authority economic development and regeneration initiatives.
The benefits of the Job Rotation model are disseminated through an ESF EQUAL development partnership.
The Job Rotation model will support policies for:
- Lifelong learning providing adult literacies in the workplace, confidence, personal development and access to vocational skills.
- Employment strategies including economic inclusion and promoting equalities in employment.
- Economic development, such as supporting small companies, developing the local workforce and contributing to local regeneration initiatives.
Company development
Job Rotation works primarily with small companies to help them by organising training needs analysis, developing their staff and providing additional workers to release their current employees for training and development.
A model for all sectors
The Job Rotation model works successfully in any employment sector to benefit large or small employers in both the private and voluntary sectors. For example:
- Care.
- Electronics.
- Construction.
- Manufacturing.
- Leisure industry.
- Hospitality and tourism.
- Social economy.
Bridging the employee skills gap
Job Rotation helps employees access learning and training, increasing their skills and confidence and enhancing their future employment potential.
Tackling unemployment by
The Origins of Job Rotation
WEA Scotland brought the Job Rotation model to Scotland in 1995. Our sister organisation in Denmark, Arbejdernes Oplysningsforbund (AOF), introduced us to the initiative in 1993, as illustrated by the case study on Fibertex Aalborg.
South Lanarkshire Childcare Job Rotation
This project operated in South Lanarkshire Council area. It shows how the Job Rotation model can be adapted - in this instance to the childcare sector.
Stirling & Greater Pollock
The specific aims of the proejct were to increase the competitiveness of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Stirling and Pollok and to increase the basic and vocational skills base of current and potential employees.
Lothian and Clacks
The challenge of this Job Rotation project was to promote workplace literacies to the small business sector, to embed an understanding of literacy needs into company staff development programmes and to develop effective links with ALAN Partnerships.
Other Projects
Job Rotation projects also run in East, South and North Ayrshire, based in Ayr, Kilmarnock and Girvan, and a project working with Prestwick Airport ended in March 2006.