New offices being built for Dundee City Council will provide employment and training opportunities under a pilot project.

Scottish Government Finance Minister Mr John Swinney met some of those who have already benefited from the scheme when he officially launched work on the new Dundee House.

The main contractor for the £34m project, Bovis Lendlease, has also said that about 60% of the contract will be delivered by local labour. Around 250 people will be employed over the 20-month construction period on the North Lindsay Street site.

There have already been early successes from the employment pilot, with Bovis Lendlease recruiting their office manager through the programme and three people who had been involved in the Training for Work initiative securing jobs as ground workers. They were on hand to meet the Minister after he cut the first sod and toured the site.

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Dundee City Council administration leader Councillor Ken Guild said: "The Dundee House project will provide as many jobs as possible for local people and will help building firms during the current economic downturn.

"The agreement with Bovis Lendlease is particularly important because it means they will help provide training and employment opportunities to specific priority groups who have found it difficult to get into the job market.

"All involved in building Dundee House will support a range of initiatives, including work experience, apprentice opportunities, workforce development and the notification of all vacancies on site."

Councillor Guild said the project should also help retain confidence in the city centre's economy and would be a building block towards phase two of the Overgate development.

When Dundee House is completed in early 2011, Tayside House will be demolished - an integral part of the central waterfront development plan to reconnect the city with the waterfront.

The offices will include a new flagship customer centre that will underline the city council's commitment to modernising contact with the public. It will be a one-stop shop for the public to make any dealings with the council as easy and simple as possible.

(GK/JM)