Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is Scotland’s national skills body. We contribute to Scotland’s sustainable economic growth by supporting people and businesses to develop and apply their skills. We work with our partners to provide services that deliver the very best outcomes for Scotland’s people, businesses and the economy.
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) works proactively with companies across the country to support employers to make the most of apprenticeships.
In this Corporate Plan for the 2019–2022 we set out the first stage of how we will enable people, mobilise employers and influence the skills system.
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To ensure Scotland’s retains a skilled workforce, we are working in with others to chart out a vision we are calling Scotland 2035 – A Human Future.
Discover real examples of the impact our work has on people, businesses and the Scottish learning and skills system in our strategic plan case studies.
Find out how we're working with other enterprise and skills agencies.
Looking to read our full Strategic Plan?
A summary document for our Strategic Plan 2019-22.
Strategic Plan 2019-22
Annual Review 2019/20
SDS Publication Schedule
Modern Apprenticeship Frameworks
SDS Operating Plan 2019-20
We work with a wide range of national and local partners to improve, align and integrate our services for customers.
Our web service, offering expert information and advice on careers, that's free to access for any individual - wherever they are in their learning or working life.
Our online service for Scottish apprenticeships. Find current vacancies and information on how to become an apprentice, as well as employer support on recruiting apprentices.
Our Skillsforce helps employers to locate and access local support, from advice to HR and funding - alongside information to help businesses engage with education.
Our web service which helps parents and carers support their children to make career decisions, guided by information on the future world of work.
Developed in collaboration with industry, Digital World promotes careers in Scotland's digital technologies sector.
This Framework is a replacement for the Transport Engineering and Maintenance MA Framework and has been updated with new industry qualifications and a new name for the Framework, to reflect the name of the new qualifications.
Hospitality is the provision of goods and services within hotels, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, the licensed trade and contract catering and hospitality services like hospitals, prisons and schools.
The Modern Apprenticeship in Travel Services has been developed to support the sector in Scotland and has three routes: Leisure and Business Travel Services, Tour Operators - Head Office, and Tour Operators - Field Staff.