Edinburgh¹s Joined up for Jobs strategy has launched a scheme to help unemployed people get the chance to improve their job prospects and secure full-time employment.

The Joined up for Jobs strategy, which includes the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, the City of Edinburgh Council, the Capital City Partnership, the West Edinburgh Community Planning Partnership and the Cisco Networking Academy program, will give free IT and business skills training.

The project aims to enroll 100 participants in its first year. Students will receive expert training at Cisco Networking Academies, where they will have access to Networking Academy program course materials and equipment. The Academies will be located around Edinburgh especially in disadvantaged or regeneration areas.

Roger Horam is head of Partnerships & Projects at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, says: "Edinburgh has an objective of achieving 80% employment for the City and the Edinburgh Cisco Community Academies are an important part of that initiative. It is about increasing employability for those who find it hard to get a job. But it is also practical because, as a representative of Edinburgh¹s business community, I¹m aware of an increasing need for IT skills in the region."

The initiative is one example of a drive by Cisco, learndirect Scotland and Microsoft under the European Alliance on Skills for Employability initiative to accelerate the delivery of vocational IT skills training across Scotland.