Almost two-thirds of those helped by a support service for workers made redundant are back in work or training within seven months of losing their jobs, a new survey has revealed.

The success of the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) service - which steps in when redundancies are a possibility and has helped more than 25,000 employees and 500 businesses since the beginning of last year - is thanks to improvements in the range of services available to those facing the threat of losing their livelihood.

The survey coincides with a Scottish Government conference in Edinburgh today which brings together service providers and member organisations of the PACE Partnership to discuss further improvements to enhance the service.

Skills and Lifelong Learning Minister Keith Brown said: "This survey shows that PACE is supporting the majority of people going through the devastating experience of redundancy back into work or training in a relatively short space of time. It is also pleasing to see that the majority of people are happy with the service and how quickly it reacts when redundancies are announced.

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"The prospect of losing your job can be daunting and the effects devastating. PACE plays a crucial role by working with people immediately after redundancies are announced to provide help and support with the ultimate goal of getting people back to work.

"In an ideal world there would be no need for anyone to carry out this work but unfortunately it is clear that there will still be a need for PACE in the foreseeable future. That is why all those involved are working hard to continually improve the service we provide."

The survey, commissioned by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), shows that 63 per cent of PACE service users who have left their redundant job had either found new employment or undertaken training or development. Almost 90 per cent agreed that the information they received in their initial PACE presentation was relevant.

Meanwhile, 58 per cent of those now work felt that PACE had been influential in helping them to secure new employment. Overall, more than half of respondents (59 per cent) reported that the PACE service had improved their CV writing and ability to apply for a job.

John McClelland, Chair of Skills Development Scotland said: "In this tough economic climate, the importance of PACE, and the value of support offered by the team, is heightened.

"Times remain challenging and we face unprecedented levels of demand for our service. It is therefore vital we ensure that PACE services continue to meet the needs of our customers as well as the demands of the current employment market.

"This report highlights the positive work carried out by the 21 local PACE Partnerships across Scotland, all of whom are dedicated to continuous improvement to ensure the time people are affected by redundancy is kept to a minimum."

(GK)