Scottish Construction forges closer links between business and education

Scotland plans to increase the uptake of work-related learning and qualifications in secondary schools, as part of a package to reduce youth unemployment over the next seven years.

The Scottish Government has now published a new youth employment strategy to reflect changing economic conditions.

The strategy comes partly in response to the publication of a major report by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce earlier this year.

The commission called for substantial changes to vocational education in Scotland. It said that there are significant opportunities for young people in various sectors, including construction.

The commission’s report called for voluntary levy schemes to recruit and train young people in skills shortage areas. It pointed to the construction industry as a sector where this is taking place.

It said that construction is achieving consistent, ongoing investment in training young entrants, even in times of severe constraint.

Scotland’s Minister for youth and women’s employment, Annabelle Ewing, said that a considerable amount of work on implementing the commission’s recommendations has already been carried out.

She said pathfinders for foundation apprenticeships are already up and running and interest in the Investors in Young People accolade is very high.

The government is also working towards supporting 30,000 new Modern Apprenticeship opportunities every year from 2020.

Building on the £12 million investment for 2014/15, a further £16.6m has been allocated in the draft Scottish Budget for 2015/16 to take forward the measures within the new strategy.

The seven-year strategy hopes to see:

Cabinet secretary for fair work, skills and training Roseanna Cunningham said that history reveals that it is younger women and men who find it most difficult to find a job.

Returning to pre-recession levels of youth employment is not enough and the Scottish Government’s commitment to supporting more young people towards high-quality jobs remains unwavering, she added.

The new strategy outlines plans to equip the country’s young people with the skills and knowledge they need from their early years right through to the senior phase and into an apprenticeship, further and higher education, and a job.