Education to Employment Conference 2013 - LAST CHANCE

Education to Employment Conference 2013

November 26th, 09:00 - 15:45

The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre

Last chance to book your place at Skills Development Scotland's Education to Employment conference!

"Scotland needs and has the potential to secure a highly educated, skilled and well motivated young workforce able to compete with any in Europe and ensure Scottish business and industry grows in stature at home and abroad."

Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, Interim Report

Objectives
The recent publication of the Wood Commission’s Interim Report sets the backdrop for this event. The agenda for the day will provide opportunities for attendees to:

• Explore the global challenges being faced by those leading and managing the transition from education to employment
• Engage in constructive discussion around what currently works in Scotland and why it works - from the perspective of education providers, employers and young people
• Gain a deeper understanding of the interim findings of the Wood Commission

Audience
The conference has been specifically designed for those concerned with the policy and practices surrounding education to employment for young people including:

• Those involved in the provision of education for young people
• Those involved in the employment of young people
• Third sector organisations working with young people at the transition point between formal education and the workforce

Programme
The conference has been structured around a number of short presentations and expert panel inputs designed to develop a better understanding of the challenges and stimulate lively group discussions.

The day will have three component parts:

• Part 1: The global challenges
• Part 2: Emerging Scottish solutions
• Part 3: Looking Ahead - The Wood Commission Interim Report

To attend this fantastic conference and have your say, please click here.

Skills Development Scotland Launch 2013 Modern Apprenticeship Scheme

The SDS Launch of the 2013 Modern Apprenticeship Scheme took place at the Tennent’s Training Academy.

The lives of 25,000 young people in Scotland have been transformed in 2012/13 by taking up a Modern Apprenticeship (MA) opportunity.

The Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland have confirmed that the target to enhance the job prospects of 25,000 young people through training in a key sector has been met for a second year.

Minister for Youth Employment Angela Constance marked the occasion by meeting a number of MAs working at the Tennent’s Training Academy in Glasgow.

She said: “The Scottish Government recognises the value of the Modern Apprenticeship programme in developing and improving the skills of our young people. An MA gives them a job and a qualification, as well as a real entry point to the working world. This is precisely why we set ourselves the challenging target to offer 25,000 MA opportunities for each year of the current Parliament and I am delighted that the target has again been reached. READMORE

Microsoft To Employ 2000 New Scottish Apprentices

 

 

Microsoft has pledged to take on more than 2000 apprentices in Scotland over the next three years.

The computing giant said it will work with its 1500 partner companies in Scotland to recruit 2016 16 to 24-year-olds as IT apprentices by the year 2016.The announcement means the number of apprentices it takes on each year in Scotland will more or less double.

Microsoft UK managing director Michel Van der Bel made the announcement during a meeting with First Minister Alex Salmond.

Mr Van der Bel said: "The digital technologies industry employs over 100,000 people in Scotland and is expanding fast.

"At Microsoft we want to help ensure there are skilled people coming into the workplace to secure the future for the sector.

"That's why we are announcing our commitment to create 2016 apprenticeships in Scotland by 2016 by partnering with the Scottish Government and our training providers QA and YouTrain.

"These are real jobs for young people in a vibrant, growing and exciting industry, which will help bring economic and employment opportunities."

Mr Salmond welcomed the announcement, which he said was a huge endorsement of Scotland's young people.

He said: "This is a terrific announcement both for the thousands of individual young people who will be given a fantastic career opportunity and for Scotland's Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme.

"Over the next three years Microsoft and its partner companies will recruit…READMORE

The Scottish Government Help School Leavers Gain Vocational Skills

The Scottish government is to set up a commission to improve the vocational skills of young people.

 

The group will look at vocational education and careers advice in schools and how they prepare young people for employment with the skills required for their region.

It will also study how to persuade business and industry to take on young people just out of education.

The group, chaired by Sir Ian Wood, will report back next year.

In 2011 the Scottish government appointed Angela Constance as the first youth employment minister in the UK, pledging to deliver 25,000 modern apprenticeship opportunities each year.

Alongside Sir Ian, former chairman of the…READ MORE

£52 Million Supports Learning

Colleges are set to benefit from a £52 million fund which has been ring fenced to support learners into employment.

The Scottish Government have set the money aside as part of their Employability Fund - with this money specifically aimed at giving the unemployed the best possible chance of finding work.

SNP MSP Adam Ingram backed the move.

He said: "The most recent set of employment figures showed Scotland's positive progress on youth employment - we have higher youth employment, lower youth unemployment and lower economic inactivity among young people than the rest of the UK.

"However, this is not enough. The Employability Fund forms part of the Scottish Government's commitment to supporting people towards...READ MORE