£250,000 Talent and Skills Co-Investment Fund approved by Council

Perth and Kinross Council's Finance and Resources Committee has approved the proposed £250,000 Talent and Skills Co-Investment Fund, giving the green light to a commitment first announced by Council Leader Cllr Eric Drysdale at the Economic Summit earlier this month.

The Fund, which forms part of the wider 15-24 Talent and Skills Investment Initiative, will support the development of a talent pipeline across Perth and Kinross by connecting education, skills and workforce development with future economic opportunity. It is due to launch in 2027.

Commenting on the decision, Cllr Drysdale said, "This is a really important moment for Perth and Kinross. At the Summit, I challenged our partners across the public, private and education sectors to join us in investing in the future of our young people — and I'm delighted that challenge has already been answered, with SSE committing a further £250,000 of their own alongside the Council's investment.

"Approval of this Fund means we can now move forward with building a shared investment platform that supports young people, strengthens businesses and builds the workforce our economy needs. This is exactly the kind of collaboration our region's future prosperity depends on."

With the Fund now approved, Council officers will begin work on the detail of how it will operate, what it will cover and who will administer it, with further information to follow over the coming weeks. The ambition remains to mobilise the resources necessary to establish the Fund and begin delivery by April 2027.

Keep up to date with developments as they happen, by signing up to the Invest in Perth newsletter.