A Scottish Youth Employment Government minister paid tribute to Capital Document Solutions. This was in recognition of their long-standing commitment to creating career opportunities for young people throughout Scotland.
The visit
Angela Constance MSP is Minister for Youth Employment. She visited Capital’s McDonald Road headquarters in Edinburgh. She met with key members of staff, also including the company’s Edinburgh-based trainees and apprentices.
The award-winning office equipment specialist currently employs 200 people. This includes five trainees and eight apprentices, at operations in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and also Shetland.
Angela Constance, said: “It was a pleasure to meet Tom and his trainees who are being given excellent career opportunities.
“Capital has built its success on bringing young people in, training them up and making them an integral and valued part of the business. That is a very healthy model and one which this Government fully supports. It makes good business sense for employers and Scotland’s economy.”
How it came about
Ms Constance read an article on the company’s Founder and Managing Director, Tom Flockhart. She was particularly interested to learn of Capital’s involvement with the Edinburgh Guarantee scheme and the SVQ Assessment Centre. She therefore arranged to visit Capital to meet with its staff and, in particular, its Edinburgh-based trainees and apprentices.
Tom Flockhart said: “Our trainees enjoyed the opportunity to chat with the Minister for Youth Employment. They outlined their development to date and their career opportunities in Capital.
“It is also good to be recognised and appreciated by the Minister for the success we have achieved through the career development and SVQ schemes we run for trainees and apprentices.”
Capital recently teamed up with the City of Edinburgh Council for its Edinburgh Guarantee youth employment initiative. They recruited five school leavers as workshop trainees. They have received training on a wide range of services also including the provision and support of Capital’s range of products.
After completing their induction and training programme, Bryce Bain, Cameron Laing, Aaron Mitchell, Dylan Motion and Connor Wood will all be given permanent three-year service engineer SVQ apprenticeship. The trainees joined Capital between September and October last year.
Capital has a track record in providing young people with long-term career development opportunities. Several staff have developed within the company and progressed to senior management positions.
Since the business first introduced formal technical training opportunities in 1997, more than 22 engineers have come through the ranks with Capital.
Finally, in January (2013), Capital announced the acquisition of Inverness-based business, Highland Office Equipment, increasing total staff to 200. Capital’s turnover is now in excess of £20m. The acquisition, therefore, puts the expanded company in a strong position to achieve its £30m turnover objective by the end of 2015.
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