Facing redundancy can be one of the most stressful, challenging and emotional experiences we are likely to experience in our working lives.

And with more and more industries becoming affected by everything from cost cutting to financial collapse, the traditional “job for life” is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

But while there’s no denying that dealing with the prospect of redundancy can raise many questions and leave you feeling worried about your future, help is available and no one has to go through the process alone.

The Scottish Government's Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative is a partnership of 22 organisations with the Scottish Government, to support individuals who have been made redundant or are facing redundancy.

A partnership that includes Skills Development Scotland, Jobcentre Plus, local authorities, Citizens Advice Scotland, colleges and training providers, PACE provides workshops and one-to-one support, and has helped thousands of people across Scotland who have been made redundant.

With expert advisers located in Skills Development Scotland centres across the country, PACE can help employees take stock of their options and turn redundancy from an obstacle into an opportunity.

Esther helps people make best use of their skills

Based in Hamilton, Esther Love has worked as a PACE adviser for the past five years, and admits that redundancy can be a daunting prospect for many employees.

“My job is really all about helping people with their career management skills and helping people to handle transitions in their careers. And obviously redundancy is a big transition.

“Anyone can go through redundancy but we do come across a lot of people who have been in the same job for 20 or 30 years. Often, when they originally went for the job, they perhaps didn’t even go through a proper recruitment process, and certainly didn’t put a CV together.

“That’s something that’s completely new to them, so our job is also about supporting people to identify their transferable skills and how their skills will be useful in other sectors.”

As a former offshore gas engineer with Sabre Safety Ltd, Douglas Mcinally recently fell victim to the industry downturn – but with the help of a PACE adviser, the 33-year-old was able to refresh his skills and secure a new career path.

Douglas, from Arbroath, said: “Because of the downturn, it was a case of last in first out and I had only been with the firm for two-and-a-half years.

“I could see it coming, but with three daughters and a house and everything else, it still came as a shock.

“All my gas licences had run out so I was left either with looking at unskilled jobs or redoing my gas qualifications, which is an expensive process.”

Douglas found a new career with SSE

After contacting PACE and being assigned a dedicated adviser, Douglas was able to take advantage of the Transition Training Fund, which helps people facing redundancy from the oil and gas sector get back into to work through retraining.

That led to him securing a job with SSE as a dual fuel installer, and he is now looking forward to an exciting future with the energy firm.

He added: “I got a lot of support from my PACE adviser.

“He explained that I had to identify if there were jobs available in the area I was interested in, and I was already aware there were firms looking for gas engineers.

“He supported me the whole way through, got the funds released and communicated with the training provider as well.

“I did two weeks’ training and passed my exams the first time round, which was great as I’d been out of the industry for five years.

“I’m not only pleased to have a job but also one that’s got long term prospects.

“In the past year I’ve been involved in a lot of pilots and projects and there have been a lot of new opportunities.

“Being laid off was a very stressful time, but to get the support I needed was fantastic.”

Esther has helped many people in similar situations to Douglas, and urges anyone worried about redundancy to contact the helpline sooner rather than later.

Douglas worked in the oil and gas industry before being made redundant

“The first step for anyone facing redundancy is not to panic,” she explained.

“Contact the PACE helpline and you will be able to access all the services that we have at our disposal.

“The help is there – you just need to ask.

“We can help people to understand what their transferrable skills are, what training options are available or whether they might want to undertake a short education course.

“And our services are very accessible.

“We want to make sure as many people as possible get in contact when they are facing redundancy, whether that’s with big companies or small.”

She added: “Even people who are very frightened initially, once they hear what help is available and once they access that help and practical support, they feel more confident about going forward.

“We do get people who say right from the start that they see redundancy as their opportunity to start something new. And we can advise everyone on the best way to make the most of it.”

'Losing my job was tough – but it gave me the chance to become my own boss'

Sam now runs her firm, Dog!

After working for almost three decades as a training co-ordinator at the Longannet Power Station Sam Cockain was devastated when she learned the Fife site was to close.

But having previously witnessed other colleagues be supported by PACE, the 50-year-old knew that help, advice and training were available for those facing redundancy, and decided to set her sights on becoming her own boss.

She said: “When we were told Longannet was definitely closing, I was devastated knowing I was to lose my job.

“It was a huge shock for everybody involved.

“But I always saw other people getting the benefits of PACE and once I became one of those facing redundancy, I thought I better get myself involved.

“I met with a PACE adviser and from there I was able to get in touch with Business Gateway – it was all really joined up.”

The support Sam received helped her to establish her business, Dog!, and 18 months on, her client base has grown and she is fully-booked for weeks on end.

She said: “It was a struggle at times. redundancy is tough. You don’t know which way to turn.

“The support you get from agencies like Skills Development Scotland through PACE is really beneficial. It was a big relief coming through all that and I’m really grateful for all the help I got.”

Five key areas covered by PACE

1. Understanding the redundancy process, your rights and entitlements.

2. Checking what benefits you may be entitled to, helping with the financial burden of losing your job.

3. Giving practical advice on getting a new job, including writing CVs and application forms and preparing for interviews.

4. Identifying what learning and training opportunities are available, helping you to focus on your key skills.

5. Starting up a business with help from Business Gateway, who can offer practical support and guidance.

This article was brought to you in association with Skills Development Scotland.

If you’re facing redundancy, call the helpline on 0800 917 8000 or visit www.redundancyscotland.co.uk for a full range of PACE help and advice