Cabinet ministers undertook a series of engagements at local businesses and organisations throughout north-east Fife on Monday.
John Swinney, deputy first minister and finance secretary, met senior St Andrews University staff, project partners and contractors to mark the official start of construction work on the university’s £25 million green energy centre at Guardbridge.
The state-of-the-art biomass facility, using only wood from sustainable local sources, will be built on the site of the former paper mill at Guardbridge and will pump hot water from the plant four miles underground to heat and cool laboratories and student residences in St Andrews.
It is hoped the green energy centre will help to regenerate north-east Fife by creating more than 225 jobs in the construction phase.
Roseanna Cunningham, secretary for fair work, skills and training, visited the award-winning Zest Cafe on South Street, St Andrews, where she met staff and young people who have overcome a range of challenges in getting a job.
She said: “Zest Cafe is a great example of a small employer who clearly understands the business benefits of developing its young workforce.
“The support and advice that young recruits and trainees get from the Zest team helps to build up confidence and trust, as well as developing the practical work and communications skills needed in a job.”
Ms Cunningham also launched a paper at the Careers Studio in Cupar, looking at how future employability services should work after devolution in 2017.
In less than two years new powers to provide employment support for the disabled and those at risk of long-term unemployment will be devolved to Scotland.
Meanwhile, Fiona McLeod, acting minister for children and young people, visited the Busy Bee Nursery in Newport to announce £440,000 for the internationally recognised Eco-Schools programme.
It came as Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop visited the Fife Folk Museum in Ceres.