This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Fresh Talent research reports
30/10/2006
Three research reports which all relate to the Fresh Talent initiative were published today. The research includes an evaluation of the first year of the Relocation Advisory Service, a progress report on Fresh Talent and a study of the experiences of people who relocate to Scotland.
The Relocation Advisory Service has dealt with more than 12,000 enquiries and the latest population figures for Scotland have been enormously encouraging - showing the population is rising and that Scotland has benefited from the biggest in-migration figures in 50 years.
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform Tom McCabe said:
"Our Fresh Talent initiative is, of course, still in its early stages - but it is working. We commissioned these pieces of research to evaluate the progress we have already made and to inform our future work.
"The research clearly recognises Fresh Talent is an ambitious initiative which has already made good progress. But Fresh Talent will continue to evolve to reflect our changing demographic and economic position.
"There have already been enormously encouraging population figures. Our population is rising and we have enjoyed some of the biggest in-migration increases ever recorded.
"But there is no quick fix - the long-term projections are still that our population is ageing and declining. It is a long-term problem which requires a long-term solution - but we can now clearly see Fresh Talent is working and addressing this challenge.
"Since it was established in October 2004, the Relocation Advisory Service has advised more than 12,000 people from around 140 countries. The website about living and working in Scotland has attracted more than 445,000 visitors. Every customer who contacts the RAS for information is a potential economic migrant and a potential asset to Scotland.
"The success of RAS sits alongside the achievements of other Fresh Talent schemes like the Working in Scotland scheme. Since June 2005, more than 2200 international students have chosen to remain in Scotland for two years following graduation.
"More than 20,000 Poles have come to Scotland since May 2004. Earlier this year, I visited Poland to launch a Welcome Guide for Poles considering moving to Scotland. We immediately received around 10,000 requests for copies of the guide and we've had more than 50,000 visitors to the website we created for Polish nationals.
"Of course, we must continue to develop our own home-grown talent and we must continue to attract fresh talent. We need the brightest and the best from around the world to come to Scotland to live, study, work or do business.
"If we can continue to attract economic migrants - and make sure that we give all Scots the opportunity to contribute to the economy - then we can continue to reverse this decline in our working age population."
The research can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/
Research/17692/SocialResearchPubs/LocalGovernment
For more information about the Relocation Advisory Service and the Fresh Talent initiative, please visit: www.scotlandistheplace.com
Other work and achievements under the Fresh Talent initiative include:
- Extensive promotional work around Scotland at home and abroad
- targeted visits to China, India, Singapore, Malaysia
- Scottish International Scholarship Programme - 22 international scholars studying for a Masters degree in Scotland
- Fresh Talent: Supporting International Students Challenge Fund - supports 12 projects to help students settle into Scottish life and hear about opportunities to stay in Scotland at the end of their studies
- Scottish Networks International - given £225,000 funding over three years to provide around 20 work placements for international postgraduates in Scotland, and enhance the experience of a further 200 overseas postgraduates