Skills Development Scotland (SDS) held workshops and networking sessions at a major conference for training providers.
The theme for Scottish Training Federation’s annual conference was ‘What’s next for skills and training in Scotland?’
Minister for Employability and Training Jamie Hepburn spoke to conference delegates about providers contributing to an inclusive and productive economy and their role in tackling inequality and helping those furthest from the labour market.
Mr Hepburn said that targets for apprenticeships had been exceeded thanks to the partnership working between SDS, providers and employers.
Mr Hepburn also discussed Employability Fund ahead of the Scottish Government’s budget in December.
He said: “While we cannot pre-empt the Budget process, I am clear that we remain fully committed to improving outcomes for people in Scotland.
“I have seen the impact Employability Fund has on young people during visits to training providers and employers. I am clear that EF remains part of our wider package of support and that I will outline future funding when I’m in a position to do so.
“I want to ensure that our young people’s ambitions can and will be achieved and that we deliver a prosperous and fair Scotland.
“We must continue to ensure that our young people have the relevant skills, qualifications and the opportunity to succeed in their chosen field.
“The only certainty is that change will continue at an accelerating rate and Scotland’s workforce must be equipped to adapt and to thrive in that environment. “
“I want to ensure that our young people’s ambitions can and will be achieved and that we deliver a prosperous and fair Scotland."
Minister for Employability and Training Jamie Hepburn
SDS Director of National Training Programmes, Katie Hutton, focused on joint successes from the past year including apprenticeship achievement rates and targets; the skills landscape and shared priorities including equality and quality assurance.
SDS sessions included:
- Funding and Information Processing Systems (FIPS) – Making it work for training providers
- Improving equality through contracting
- Individual Training Accounts
- Foundation and Graduate Level Apprenticeships
- Certificate of Work Readiness and Employability
- Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board
- apprenticeships.scot