ScottishPower and Lanarkshire Careers Service have joined forces to open the doors to opportunity for local young people.

The Glasgow-based company is sponsoring the launch of Lanarkshire Careers Service's first annual 'Open Doors' magazine, designed to help school leavers plan their employment path.

The new magazine outlines trends in jobs and training and provides information on industry experience using actual case studies.

Around 5,000 copies are being distributed to offices, schools, libraries and community centres throughout Lanarkshire.

The 'Open Doors' sponsorship is being made through ScottishPower Learning, which ScottishPower set up last year in conjunction with the trade unions to provide training opportunities for the unemployed. Around 100 Skillseekers have already taken up places, and there are plans to recruit a further 200. So far around 20 Lanarkshire youngsters have benefited from participation in ScottishPower Learning programmes.

The winners of a readers' competition in the first issue were treated to a special lunch at ScottishPower Learning's training facility at Cumbernauld, where they were each presented with their prize of an electronic organiser.

Vivienne Brown, Head of Lanarkshire Careers Service, said the partnership with ScottishPower was a good example of how the private and public sectors could combine expertise to benefit young people.

"With ScottishPower's help we have been able to create a unique opportunity to bring together in simple magazine form information on many of the choices available to school leavers in Lanarkshire and to explain clearly the benefits of training via Skillseekers".

Paul McKelvie, ScottishPower Learning Product Development Manager, said: "We are sponsoring the 'Open Door' initiative because we realise from our own experience that advice and support to school leavers is critical in helping them identify appropriate career paths and awareness of employment opportunities".