Tag: careers

Jobs for life are a thing of the past

A job for life is a thing of the past, a new survey had revealed, with people now moving job roles more frequently than ever before.

In Scotland, 64 per cent of those surveyed agreed that a job for life was something they no longer expected, with only 15 per cent in the region having stayed working in a role for more than 10 years. Continue reading Jobs for life are a thing of the past

Scottish students gain STEM Skills Experience with TCS’ Digital Explorers

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organisation, announced that it engaged more than 900 Scottish pupils from over 20 schools in Lothians, Central, Strathclyde and Fife, in its renowned Digital Explorers Programme.

At the event, students aged 11-18, were joined by a host of volunteers from TCS and Lloyds Banking Group, as well as special guest, Minister for Public Finance & Digital Economy and MSP, Kate Forbes. Continue reading Scottish students gain STEM Skills Experience with TCS’ Digital Explorers

Sandy is highly commended for improving automotive prospects for students

Edinburgh College’s curriculum leader has been highly commended by an industry body after he played a key role in enhancing the College’s automotive course, improving offering students and staff better prospects. Continue reading Sandy is highly commended for improving automotive prospects for students

Personalised online careers support for Scottish pupils

Recommendations of Learner Journey Review published

Every pupil in Scotland will have access to an online account with personalised support in choosing courses and planning a career, Deputy First Minister John Swinney has announced. It is one of seventeen recommendations in a review, of the journey through the education system for 15-24 year olds.

From 2019, pupils will have their own learner account where they can record their skills and qualifications and receive help in planning next steps into further learning or work.

Other recommendations to be taken forward by the Scottish Government, its agencies and the wider sector include:

  • More joined-up advice and guidance on post-school options across the education sector.
  • Young people to receive a better balance of work-based and academic skills informed by employer engagement, building on the success of the Developing the Young Workforce programme.
  • Improved collaboration between schools, colleges and universities to enable, where appropriate, greater flexibility for young people to move from S5 to year one of a degree, from S6 to year 2, and from college into years 2 and 3 of university.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Our school leavers now have a widening range of opportunities available – from industry-led technical professional options to long standing well-established academic routes. But what is clear is there is no single route to success in life.

“With a record proportion of school leavers going on to a positive destination, there is much to celebrate already. This review will build on firm foundations and challenges all of us within the education and skills sector to go further.

“Ensuring the right advice, support and guidance fits seamlessly around a pupil is vital. Schools, colleges, universities and employers must work together to help young people navigate what is, rightly, a wide and varied range of post-school opportunities.

“Taking forward these recommendations will require strong leadership across the sector but will ensure all young people are supported to take the learner journey that is right for them.”

Rebecca Slater, 19, from Aberdeen is an enquiry officer at Student Awards Agency Scotland who joined in 2017 as a modern apprentice. She said: “I began my learner journey when I moved from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, to start studying veterinary medicine at Edinburgh University. I chose to study this as, being someone who puts animal care at the centre of their life, I thought I would very much enjoy this career path.

“However, by the end of the academic session, I discovered the course was not actually for me and I would rather be in employment, so I left after first year and started to look for Modern Apprenticeships, where I could gain a qualification through my employment. This was very attractive to me as it was great to be able to get a qualification whilst I worked.

“I was lucky enough to find a job at SAAS through the modern apprentice scheme and recently gained my qualification for my SVQ in customer service. I really recommend the modern apprentice route and think more could be done to promote apprenticeship opportunities at school as university is not for everyone.”

Learner Review report

Key facts:

  • In 2015/16, 37.3 per cent of all school leavers went on to higher education, 22.4 per cent into further education, 28.7 per cent into employment.
  • Between 2007 and 2017 there has been an 18 percentage point increase in young people staying on to S6. Of those progressing from S6 to university, only around 1.4 per cent enter at year two of university.
  • In 2014/15, 8,402 HNC/D  students progressed onto university. Of this 48% articulated with Advanced Standing (where their credit was fully recognised); 10% with Advanced Progression (only some of their credit was recognised) and 42% with Progression (their credit was not recognised).
  • In 2016, 91 per cent of completers of a Modern Apprenticeship were in work 6 months after the completion date.

 

Students have their finger on the creative pulse

  • 16-18 year olds set to explore creative courses in spite of an absence of careers guidance and support from ill-informed parents and schools
  • 70% of 16-18 year olds cite they would like to pursue a career in the creative industries
  • 62% of UK students feel they have not been made aware of a future within the creative industries by teachers or career advisors
  • 47% pressured to select a career path to please parents

With the UCAS deadline looming, new research exploring the future of the creative industries, from leading VFX academy Escape Studios, highlights how students are turning their back on traditional careers and their parents’ wishes in favour of the burgeoning creative industries. Continue reading Students have their finger on the creative pulse

Edinburgh’s economy: A tale of two cities

“The time has come to take a good look at why there are still people living in Edinburgh who are not sharing in this prosperity” – Councillor Gavin Barrie, Housing & Economy convener 

An Economy Strategy to tackle inequality and poverty in the Capital has been published by the city council. The draft strategy which will be considered by councillors at the Housing and Economy Committee on Thursday, recognises that although Edinburgh remains the second most prosperous UK city outside London, jobs growth alone has not been sufficient to tackle poverty and deliver sustained improvements in living standards for everyone. 

Consultation carried out with all political parties and businesses, as well as local communities and the third sector, revealed a consensus of opinion that Edinburgh’s economy should aim to create jobs and inspire innovation but that it should also do much more to ensure that the benefits of that prosperity are accessible to all residents across the city.

It has been created around three themes – innovation, inclusion and collaboration and includes ten steps to achieve this goal. The council alone cannot achieve this and needs ownership and leadership from other city partners such as the Edinburgh Partnership and Edinburgh Business Forum.

Cllr Gavin Barrie, Housing and Economy Convener, said: “Our Economy Strategy sees an important shift in the focus of our work to help Edinburgh’s economy to grow. It is going from strength to strength and has shown great resilience during tough economic times. The time has come, however, to take a good look at why there are still people living in Edinburgh who are not sharing in this prosperity. 

“We need to grow our economy so that it is fair in terms of wages, opportunity, access to housing, education and good careers. Much of that work has already started through our commitment to build 20,000 new affordable homes in the city and the £1.1b Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region deal, which will provide £300m for world leading data innovation centres, £25m for regional skills programme to support improved career opportunities for disadvantaged groups and £65m of new funding for housing to unlock strategic development sites.

“The strategy also fits in well with the most recent Scottish Government Economic Strategy and UK Industrial Strategy, both of which have placed increasing emphasis on the need for inclusive growth for our economy.

“Locally, the strategy also represents one of the first major practical steps towards achieving the City Vision for 2050 that we have been developing with contributions from people across the city since September 2016.”

Hugh Rutherford, Chair of the Edinburgh Business Forum, said: “To stay ahead of our global competitors, Edinburgh needs a laser focus on our world leading sectors – financial services, tech, life sciences, creative industries and tourism.

“But we need more than sectoral growth – we need responsible and sustainable ‘good growth’, making sure everyone benefits in a way that’s not happened before. Crucial to the success of this will be the private sector, all levels of education, and the third and public sectors working together to achieve this common goal.”

Ella Simpson, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council, said: “I am pleased the Strategy explicitly acknowledges poverty and inequality in the City and highlights actions which aim to reduce the impact on people’s lives.  The strategy needs to recognise the existing communities and people as the bedrock for fair growth in the city and it is important that we provide support to business, from all sectors, to be the best employers they can be.” 

The Strategy’s ten steps, which all have their own actions plans.

  • Establish Edinburgh as the data capital of Europe.

  • Develop Edinburgh as a city of resilient businesses with the space to grow.

  • Create a step change in the growth of green and socially responsible business in Edinburgh.

  • Deliver new approaches to tackling the barriers that reinforce worklessness, poverty and inequality.

  • Reform Edinburgh’s education and skills landscape to meet the needs of our changing economy.

  • Deepen our relationships with employers to unlock good career opportunities.

  • Create a transformational city centre fit to power Scotland’s economy.

  • Build a world class Waterfront, and deliver business and residential growth in West Edinburgh.

  • Build affordable places for people to live and work.

  • Deliver sustainable and inclusive growth in our world leading culture and tourism sectors.

Engineering students best placed to avoid graduate job struggle

Electrical & Electronics Engineering students are best placed to secure a job related to their course after graduating, while almost all Travel & Tourism grads will have to look outside of their subject for a career, according to new research by job search-engine Adzuna. Continue reading Engineering students best placed to avoid graduate job struggle