Developing Scotland’s young people

8 Dec 2014 02:25 PM

STV Chief Executive led the first meeting of key employer group.

Key figures in business and education met yesterday (December 8) to outline how best employers can make long term commitments to developing and employing young people.

Rob Woodward, chief executive of STV, yesterday chaired the first meeting of the National Invest in Young People Group.

The Group, which met in Glasgow, has been convened to oversee the establishment of industry-led Regional Invest in Young People Groups across Scotland a key recommendation of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

The Group also includes the following members:

• Colin Borland – Head of External Affairs (Scotland), Federation of Small Businesses
• Sue Bruce – Chief Executive of Edinburgh City Council
• Liz Cameron – Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce
• Heather Dunk – Principal of Ayrshire College
• Sylvia Halkerston – Former HR Director, Macphie of Glenbervie
• Grahame Smith – General Secretary of the STUC
• John Stewart – HR Director Scottish & Southern Energy
• Graeme Waddell – Chairman of Energen Biogas.

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham welcomed the meeting and said:

“This is an important step in the delivery of a wide ranging radical programme to develop a world class vocational education system for Scotland. Our young people are well educated and keen to work and our employers are increasingly recognising that investing in young people will be crucial to growing their businesses.

“This group will draw on the knowledge and experience from different interests to put young people and employers at the centre of vocational education. Their input will be key to support the system that meets the needs of our employers and matches the ambition of our young people and I will be very interested to hear about what they have discussed.

“Recent employment statistics for Scotland have been very encouraging with record numbers of people in work. However, we want to go further and to tackle long term issues in the labour market and barriers to young women and men getting into jobs.

“I want to be very clear that we will not settle for a return to pre-recession levels of youth unemployment and the Scottish Government has shown real ambition with our initial response to the Commission’s work. We will outline how we will take forward the recommendations in the coming weeks.

Rob Woodward said:

“I have been impressed by the breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm shown by every member of this group. They are all passionate about delivering a vocational education system in Scotland that supports the needs of our employers, our young people and our economy.

“By drawing such committed people from industry, education and the trade union movement can contribute to delivering that shared vision.”

Notes To Editors

Over the next 3 years the National Invest in Young People will oversee and support the establishment of Regional Invest in Young People Groups across Scotland. Once established, the industry led groups will focus on encouraging and supporting employers to engage with education and to recruit young people.

This work is part of the wider Developing the Young Workforce Programme being taken forward in partnership by Scottish Government and COSLA.

The remit of the National Invest in Young People Group includes:

• Providing advice to Scottish Ministers on the establishment of Regional Invest in Young People Groups
• Identifying and working with key individuals and business organisations in across Scotland to establish Regional Invest in Young People Groups
• Engaging with key stakeholders and building relationships with national employers and business and public sector organisations to support their contribution to the establishment the network of Regional Groups
• Co-ordinating and facilitating the sharing of good practice across the Regional Groups.

The group comprises individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to engagement between and education. The membership is drawn from the private sector, employer bodies, local government, the college sector and the trade union movement.