THE creation of new roles at Rosyth's green freeport is expected to have a "ripple effect" across the Fife labour market.

The Forth was one of two winning bids north of the border, the other is at Inverness and Cromarty Firth, jointly selected by the Scottish and UK governments to become special economic zones which will offer tax breaks and low tariffs to businesses.

A range of vacancies are currently available to jobseekers in Dunfermline and West Fife, though the potential of 7,000 new 'green' positions between Rosyth and Burntisland, as previously reported by the Press, could boost the market across the Kingdom.

Phil Martin, DWP employer manager for Fife, couldn't say how many of these roles would be made available at the Rosyth dockyard.

He said: "That information will come eventually, we'll start to get it through the local authority and how that's developing in Scottish Enterprise, but at this point in time we don't have the information.

"It should make a significant difference to the labour market certainly in West Fife but it should have a ripple effect through all of Fife."

He expects the next phase of frigates to be built at Babcock in Rosyth will also make an impact.

Currently there are positions available across most sectors - including construction, care, manufacturing, transport, and retail - with 19 employers attending the most recent jobs fair held in Rothes Halls in Glenrothes.

Mr Martin said: "Across our jobcentres, work coaches provide every jobseeker with tailored support, helping to build confidence and develop new skills, so breaking down the barriers for those re-entering the workforce.

"The focus being for people over 50 or those who have been out of work due to ill health.

"Increasing the labour force is a key activity in order to help businesses fill their vacancies.

"Locally we’ve been working with Diageo, Stagecoach, Prestige Care, Fife Council and many more employers to access vacancies and help people move into employment.

"To support this we are holding regular jobs fairs and sector-based work academies."

The majority of jobs are in entry level positions, though Mr Martin says that training and support is available either through employers or jobcentres.

In particular, care homes are eager to improve the skills of potential candidates, while Marks and Spencer is running a training academy and B&M is offering work experience.

Me Martin added: "We don't usually have a lot of customers with high skill levels so we can support people to get trained up or the employers will support training.

"Most are looking for the attitude, good attendance records, and people who are prepared to go and give things a go.

"Certainly in care homes they are happy to train people up, and most production roles can be trained up."

There are also driver positions available through Stagecoach and Lothian Buses and manufacturing roles available at Todd Fish Tech Ltd in Dalgety Bay.

An online jobs fair will be held on February 23 and the next in-person jobs event will be held in Kirkcaldy Mercat Shopping Centre on March 22.