Created in 2008, Skills Development Scotland
(SDS) is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) which brought
together the careers, skills, training and funding services of
Careers Scotland, Scottish University for Industry (learndirect
scotland) and the Skills Intervention arms of Scottish Enterprise
and Highlands & Islands Enterprise. We employ over 1,000 staff
and have a network of public access centres and offices across
Scotland.
When Skills Development Scotland was launched in April 2008, it
marked the start of a step change in the delivery of careers,
skills and training services in Scotland.
Skills play a central role in raising employment levels and
productivity and are fundamental to ensuring Scotland's businesses
have the capability to compete successfully both now and in the
future. But, as recognised in the Scottish Government's skills and
economic strategies, the acquisition of skills alone is not
sufficient. In Skills Development Scotland we are tasked with
catalysing real and positive change in Scotland's skills
performance by linking skills supply and demand more effectively
and helping people and organisations learn, develop and utilise
these skills to greater effect.
In our first two years of operation we have created a
forward-looking organisational structure, recruited staff to
complete our skills requirement and are now working to finalise and
implement the systems, processes and programmes needed to support
our strategy.
We are developing the new partnerships - at local and national
level - that are fundamental to our ambition, forging new
collaborations with, amongst others, local authorities, the
Scottish Funding Council, colleges (through a new Colleges Forum),
NHS, schools and a wide range of industry and enterprise
bodies.