NINE talented young people were told 'you're hired' after displaying their business acumen during an award winning-personal development programme.

The hard-working teenagers who are in S5 and S6 devoted their summer holidays to take part in Inverclyde Council's 'The Recruit' programme - an Apprentice-style challenge designed to test their entrepreneurial skills.

At a glittering awards ceremony held at Port Glasgow Town Hall, Aidan Morris was named the overall winner of the enterprise competition, landing a job with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

A further eight recruits secured jobs paying salaries of up to £14,000 from local organisations KBS Engineering, West College Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, Inverclyde Council, MPS Construction, Cloch Housing and Pursuit Marketing, Glasgow.

Councillor Natasha Murphy, a former recruit and the council’s Young Persons Champion, was on hand to congratulate the young recruits.

She said: “All of the recruits begin the summer with the expectation of one job being available to the top recruit.

“Our partners in the business community have, once again, delivered additional opportunities for our young people.

“The Recruit shows that young people across Inverclyde are motivated, ambitious and ready for work."

The successful candidates were selected based on their overall performance, attitude, potential, personal drive, determination and employability skills throughout the four month programme of challenges and activities with local organisations.

Challenges tested the young people on all their entrepreneurial skills, from profit counting to marketing and branding.

The challenge is designed to give them an insight into the real business environment.

Depute council leader Jim Clocherty said: “I would like to congratulate all the recruits for their outstanding efforts and wish them all the best for their future careers.”

The Recruit scheme has now awarded a total of 118 jobs to young people in Inverclyde since the start of the programme began in 2007.

The full list of 2019 winners is as follows: Hannah Ross, West College Scotland; Heather Gould, Pursuit Marketing; Aidan Morris, Royal Bank of Scotland; Grace Kane, Royal Bank of Scotland; Sophie Elliott, Inverclyde Council; Jamie Morris, Kilpatrick Blane Services; Ellie Morgan, Kilpatrick Blane Services; Dylan Docherty, Cloch Housing and Ryan Bissett, MPS Construction.

The finale was sponsored by Pursuit Marketing, Amazon, DYW West, West College Scotland and ICE.