Scottish European Affairs Minister Calum MacDonald, speaking in Glasgow, invited applications from colleges, universities, councils and private training organisations for the £20m funding from the European Social Fund.

The money is intended to provide training programmes for unskilled workers in jobs threatened by economic change and facing the likely prospect of unemployment. Training will be designed to provide them with skills that will enable them to find work for the future.

'Change brings risks'

"Recent years have seen a continuing employment shift away from the agriculture, energy, manufacturing and construction industries into areas such as distribution, banking and other service sectors.

"This type of change brings risks to workers lacking the training which could give them greater job opportunities," the minister said.

"We must give special priority to workers who need to upgrade their skills to adapt to more advanced technologies. Farm workers, plant and machine operatives, craft workers and clerical staff are likely to find most value from training that will help them adjust to changing demands," Mr MacDonald said.

The funds are the first received by Scotland under the "Objective 4" programme, provided by the European Social Fund to adapt workers to industrial change and advancing technologies.