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FURLOUGHED workers in Dumbarton and the Vale are being encouraged to develop their skills with thousands of free online learning materials.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has introduced an online portal in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Anyone can learn new or develop existing skills through flexible and convenient online learning from 12 different providers across a range of subject areas, such as digital, languages, business and technology.

Jamie Hepburn, minister for fair work and skills, said: “This is a great initiative to help people who have been impacted.

“People who have been furloughed, or sadly, made redundant, who are worried about their future career or simply looking to learn new things or skills while in lockdown, can now do so safely and for free.

“The current situation highlights the importance of online and digital modes of delivering learning and training. As we look afresh at how we might deliver our public services in the future, SDS’s portal will connect people to free online learning, help them find the right course and improve their future employment prospects.”