Over 77,000 Apprentices in three years
19 May 2014 03:50 PM
FM announces the Modern Apprenticeship target
hit for third consecutive year.
First Minister Alex Salmond underlined the Scottish
Government’s commitment to creating new Modern Apprentice opportunities
to boost Scotland’s workforce skills and economy as he launched this
year’s Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
Speaking during a visit to the East Kilbride Group
Training Association premises where he met more than 100 Modern Apprentices,
the First Minister announced that the Scottish Government’s target to
create at least 25,000 new MAs each year has again been surpassed. A total of
77,402 new opportunities have been delivered over the past three years, the
majority of which for young people, far exceeding any other period in the
history of the qualification.
The
figures come shortly after the First Minister announced the total of MAs to be
created in future years will be increased year on year to at least 30,000 new
MAs each year by 2020. The figures show:
- 25,284 new MAs in 2013/14
- An
overall achievement rate of 77 per cent
- 79
per cent of new starts were aged 16 to 24, up 2 percentage points from last
year
- 17,370 starts on Skills Development Scotland
(SDS)’s Employability Fund over the same period, exceeding the annual
target of 17,150.
The
First Minister said:
“I am delighted to launch the fourth annual
Scottish Apprenticeship Week which gives us an excellent opportunity to promote
and celebrate the great work that apprentices are doing and the fantastic
opportunities that many companies and organisations across Scotland are
providing for our young people.
“I am very pleased to see that all of our efforts
continue to reap rewards, with such a strong achievement rate over the past few
years. Over 77,000 new starts is an incredible achievement and is testament to
employers, training providers and, above all, our enthusiastic and talented
young workforce.
“There is no complacency as much still needs to be
done to tackle youth unemployment and that is why only a matter of weeks ago I
pledged to implement a year on year increase to 30,000 new MA starts each year
by 2020.
“This year’s Scottish Apprenticeship Week
will be an excellent opportunity to draw attention to the value that MAs could
bring to employers, and help encourage them to make young people their
business.”
Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2014, organised by Skills Development Scotland,
will see more than 120 events celebrating apprenticeships taking place from
Shetland to the Borders.
Damien Yeates, Skills Development Scotland Chief
Executive, said:
“More than 25,000 Modern Apprenticeship new starts
are testament to the efforts of employers and individual apprentices across the
country. Scottish Apprenticeship Week celebrates Modern Apprentice employers
and the achievements of apprentices, who play a vital and valuable role in
Scotland’s economy. Skills Development Scotland will continue to support
employers to provide more opportunities to help people develop their
careers.”
Brian Boyle, Quality Assurance Manager of the East
Kilbride Group Training Association, said:
“Over the last 40 years, EKGTA has helped
thousands of talented school leavers achieve a career in engineering. Scottish
Apprenticeship Week is important in raising the awareness of the value and
benefit of the Modern Apprenticeship structure. Our employers need a steady
stream of creative, hardworking bright young people to play an active role in
driving their companies forward. Scotland has an abundance of well educated,
enthusiastic individuals, we need to tap into this pool for the benefit of our
companies, and the future prosperity of the country.”
Notes To
Editors
Background
For
further details about Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2014 visit:www.scottishapprenticeshipweek.com
For more information about what Modern Apprenticeships can do for business
visit:www.ourskillsforce.co.uk
For
more information on how to become a Modern Apprentice visit: www.myworldofwork.co.uk
Get
involved on social media: #ScotMAWeek14