ROYAL MAIL is set to deliver 30 places on its apprenticeship scheme in Scotland.

The move follows the granting of £75,000 in Scottish Executive funding.

Some 311 apprenticeships have been rolled out in England and Wales and a decision was taken to extend the scheme north of the border.

The Royal Mail apprenticeship qualification has been developed with UK-based Skills for Logistics.

It provides candidates with a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) Level 2 in Mail Services and is specifically aimed at employees dealing with the collection, delivery and processing of mail.

The location of the posts is unclear at this stage and will depend on the spread of eventual applicants.

Ian McKay, Director of Scottish Affairs with Royal Mail Group said, “The Royal Mail Group is one of Scotland’s largest employers.“We are very pleased that our apprenticeship scheme will now be available to young people in Scotland and I look forward to welcoming those young recruits through our doors,” he added.