Scots students queue up for green Summer jobs in industry

More than 400 students have applied to take part in the Environmental Placement Programme (EPP) which aims to carry out 60 projects in July and August. It is backed by the Scottish Government, supported by the Federation of Small Businesses and run by the Green Business Partnership.

"The response to the programme has been overwhelming and we are having to disappoint the great majority of students who want to be allocated an assignment," said Programme Manager Barbara Schweitzer-Thompson.

"The upside is that the caliber of those involved is likely to be higher than ever."

The first 60 applications - enough to fill the entire projected workload - were received within 10 days of the date on which entries were invited. "This underlines the enormous and growing popularity of the green jobs market in Scotland," Schweitzer-Thompson added. "We are having a very tough time selecting the students who will go on to make major contributions to improving host organisations' environmental performance while saving them an estimated total of £1m into the bargain."

Under the scheme, students are paid for eight weeks of work at companies or public sector organisations, handling projects which their hosts do not have the resources, skills or time to undertake themselves. They then submit their recommendations, with the best reports judged by a panel of experts and winning prizes. Last year's awards were presented by First Minister Alex Salmond.

No more student applications will be accepted after 30 June but enquiries from companies are still welcome. For more information on the Environmental Placement Programme, contact Barbara Schweitzer-Thompson on 0131-561 6276 or email [email protected]