Hands-on training provided by the Wise Group, in partnership with Glasgow, Renfrewshire and East Ayrshire, is successfully getting people, including long-term unemployed, to train as classroom assistants. The project aims to help achieve the Scottish Executive's target of reducing staff-pupil ratios in primary schools to 15:1. A pilot began in January 1999 with five trainee assistants from Glasgow, and by August 40 trainees were involved. Next session there will be 40 trainees from Glasgow, 13 from Renfrewshire and six from East Ayrshire.
Mrs Berry completed her training earlier this year and now has a full-time job at a local primary school. She said, 'I am a mother of three children and have helped out a lot at my young son's nursery and enjoyed playground duties.
'This experience made me interested in getting into school work especially as the hours would allow me to continue caring for my children outside school hours. I saw an advert for The Wise Group and it was ideal because it provides training, there is a big emphasis on hands-on work experience and you get paid. I really enjoyed the training where I actually worked as a classroom assistant at St Philomena's Primary in Provanmill and went on day release to college each week. The theory work was interesting, especially learning about child development.
'I am now employed full-time at a local school, Millarsneuk Primary in Lenzie.'
