Education and skills make a vital contribution to driving long-term growth by improving Scotland's overall productivity and the employability of individuals. In this time of recession it is important that Scotland's workforce gets support with skills and training to allow it to return to, and progress through, the labour market as quickly as possible.
To achieve this, the following are examples of actions being taken by the Scottish Government.
- Support businesses and individuals through ScotAction - the Scottish Government's skill support package. It is an integrated package providing skills assistance - including wage subsidies in some circumstances - for training for work, training in work and training from work to work.
- Increase support for people facing redundancy with the strengthening of the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative to help those businesses and individuals facing redundancy, including the launch of a national helpline.
- Further support apprenticeships. Skills Development Scotland is working with a number of organisations which has led to Modern Apprenticeships being re-introduced or expanded into the food, life sciences and construction sectors. In February 2009, £16 million of funding was announced to help support an additional 7,800 apprenticeships this year.
- Improve the services available to the unemployed. Through changes to the eligibility rules, those who become unemployed can now access vocational training through Training to Work much more quickly. Pilots have been launched in 25 sites to integrate the employment, skills and career services of Jobcentre Plus and Skills Development Scotland.
- Strengthen education for young people. 16+ Learning Choices will offer a place of learning to every young person as they reach their compulsory school age. In support of this, £16 million will be invested in developing pilots of Activity Agreements to help and support young people who wish to learn in a community of third sector environment.
- Invest in our learning institutions. The Scottish Funding Council has established the new Horizon Fund which will develop and invest in projects that are intended to bring economic, social, cultural and other benefits to Scotland.