Supermarket giant, Asda is sponsoring a new scheme designed to lure the unemployed back to work with training.

The Glasgow-based pilot project has to date placed 380 residents with local businesses, and after 13 weeks, 84% continue to be employed.

Nick Young, manager of the project, said: “If a company does not have the capability to offer the right training, we have a training budget which can pay for health and safety courses right through to vocational qualifications in hospitality management.”

The scheme is part of a ten year government initiative to reduce the amount of benefits claimants by up to a million. The programme is being run by the Department of Work and Pensions, Manpower and consultancy Capgemini.