AGB Small Contracts Limited achieved the Investors in Young People Accreditation, which represents a commitment to the training and development of young people and demonstrates AGB as an employer of choice for young people.

Established over a decade ago, AGB specialises in bespoke projects employing a local team-based workforce of 15-20 full-time employees.

Launched in July 2014, Investors in Young People originated through a key recommendation from the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, led by Sir Ian Wood. The accreditation is offered to all businesses across Scotland and exists to recognise and support organisations across Scotland in the employment of young people.

Having now achieved the accreditation, AGB is now eligible to use and display the Investors in Young People logo and plaque, and enjoy its benefits.

Commenting on the award, Allan Brown, managing director of AGB, said: “Our business growth plans recognise the need for a reliable pipeline of new talent. We see major benefits in growing our own talent and embedding our AGB Core Values and team ethic by recruiting and investing in young people. We have recently recruited 2 Modern Apprentices and plan to continue to invest in this programme and training on an annual basis by continuing to recruit through this scheme going forward. We hope this will ensure there is a clear career path for young people within AGB and encourage loyalty and a sense of being integral to AGB’s future development.”

Peter Russian, chief executive of Investors in People Scotland, said “This is a fantastic achievement for AGB, and I and the whole IIYP team would like to wholeheartedly congratulate them. The Investors in Young People framework not only recognises and supports organisations in the employment of young people, but marks them out as an employer of choice. I envisage that many more organisations will wish to follow in the footsteps of AGB and demonstrate their commitment to young people by working with the Investors in Young People framework.”

He added: “The benefits of recruiting and developing young people are countless. These include the creation of a talent pool for the future, new and increased skills in areas such as IT and social media, fresh eyes and mind-sets into business operations along with enthusiasm and unique talents.”