6.5M Award For Scottish Vocational Training

Councils are to share a further £6.5 million to help boost vocational training, the Scottish Government has announced

Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham said the cash would be given to local authorities this financial year.

The Scottish Government is due to unveil its new youth employment strategy on Monday, setting out plans for implementing the Commission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce.

The commission, which was chaired by leading businessman Sir Ian Wood, said youth unemployment must be cut by almost half by 2020 to boost economic growth.

Sir Ian's report, published in June, made a total of 39 recommendations including providing quality work experience, increasing recognition of colleges' role in developing the workforce and providing more modern apprenticeships.

Ministers made £12 million available, with £5.5 million of that already invested in taking forward measures in the report.

The remaining £6.5 million will go to councils to support their work to introduce Sir Ian's proposals, with the funding going towards developing vocational pathways into work for young people, strengthening links between schools and employers, reviewing work experience to make it more relevant and improving opportunities for training in STEM subjects - science, technology, engineering and maths.

Ms Cunningham said: Since the publication of the commission's report earlier this year, working closely with our partners, we have made significant progress in planning for a system of vocational education that is better-equipped to help more young women and men into work.

From a total £12 million made available this year, we have already invested £5.5 million in taking forward elements of the report.

Pilots for foundation and advanced apprenticeships are already under way and interest among employers in the new Investors in Young People accolade is steadily building.''

She added: Scotland's local authorities are a central part of this process and I am delighted to be able to provide £6.5 million to maintain momentum at a local level, enabling schools to work more closely with colleges and employers.

This approach will build on Curriculum for Excellence, benefiting children from early years onwards, developing their understanding of and skills for work and opening up high-quality vocational pathways in their senior phase.

That way, they will be better prepared to progress into sustained high-quality employment.

With this investment, pupils, parents and teachers will be supported to better understand the careers and routes open to young people and see opportunities in areas like science and engineering enhanced.

Local authorities will also have a responsibility to ensure different routes are open to everyone, including those from vulnerable groups.

We will not settle for a return to pre-recession levels of joblessness in young people and the full extent of our ambition will become clear in the coming days with the publication of our new youth employment strategy.''

Councillor Douglas Chapman, education spokesman for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), said: Cosla welcomes funding for developing Scotland's young workforce. Local authorities are at the heart of all activities to get young people into sustained employment.

The funding announced today is extremely welcome and comes after months of work with the Scottish Government on taking forward the Commission's recommendations.

As will be demonstrated when the implementation plan is published tomorrow we are at the start of a long term and complex implementation process. This will build on good work already undertaken by local authorities and their partners and will also reflect the real differences between authorities, their communities and local labour markets.''