This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Careers Scotland focuses on NEET challenge
21/12/2006
Every pupil in Scotland will be entitled to a face to face meeting with a careers adviser under plans to refocus the work of the Careers Scotland service, it was announced today.
The plans - part of the Executive's response to its consultation on the future of Careers Scotland - will see the organisation focus its work on providing career guidance to individuals during transition. The central aim is to reduce the number of young people considered NEET - not in education, employment or training.
It is estimated that there are 35,000 such young people.
For schools this refocusing will see:
- An increased provision of career guidance services in schools
- A guarantee that - from the current academic year - all pupils who intend to leave school at the statutory leaving age will be given a career guidance consultation with a Careers Scotland adviser
Deputy Enterprise and Lifelong Minister Allan Wilson also confirmed that the Executive remains committed to transferring Careers Scotland out of Scottish Enterprise.
In January the Executive will begin a full options appraisal on the future structure of Careers Scotland. In the meantime, the Executive is asking Scottish Enterprise to make Careers Scotland a more distinct entity within its structure.
He said:
"We have asked Careers Scotland to focus on its key role of providing careers guidance to individuals at key points in their lives.
"It will do this particularly for young people at school as they approach working life. Other priorities will be young people who are not in education, employment or training, adults who need special help such as offenders returning to the workplace and older people wanting to stay in employment.
"It is important to concentrate the efforts of careers guidance services in our schools. There will be a new guarantee that in this academic year, all pupils who intend to leave school at age 16 will be given a careers guidance consultation with a Careers Scotland adviser. In academic year 2007-2008, this will be extended to all school leavers in Scotland.
"Following consultation, the Executive remains committed to transferring Careers Scotland out of Scottish Enterprise. In January we will begin a full options appraisal on the future structure of Careers Scotland involving all key stakeholders.
"In the meantime, we are asking Scottish Enterprise to make Careers Scotland a more distinct entity within its structure.
"A further announcement will be made in the new year and we will look to implement the outcomes of the options appraisal from summer 2007 onwards.
"Today's announcement is intended to reassure Careers Scotland and the individuals who benefit from its services that it will have a distinctive and increasingly important role in the future, with important new guarantees to every school leaver in Scotland."