The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has welcomed strong employer awareness of new paternity and parental leave rules coming into effect this month, while encouraging remaining businesses to get up to speed.
A new YouGov survey, commissioned by Acas, showed that 87% of employers were aware of the changes coming into effect next month, while 12% were unaware.
Major changes to employment law introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025 will come into effect on 6 April 2026.
Niall Mackenzie, Acas Chief Executive, said:“The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents a major shake-up in employment law, and employers and workers need to be prepared.
“It is encouraging that so many employers are aware of the new rules, but is clearly still an uncertainty for some. It is vital that all employers are aware of their obligations and are ready to act on them.
“Acas is best placed as the independent expert to provide advice and training to employers and workers navigating this period of change.”
Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said:“No new parent should miss out on time with their child because they haven’t been in their job long enough. Our reforms to parental leave are putting that right.
“I’m glad to see so many employers are prepared for the changes, to make sure workers get the benefits and security they deserve.”
Changes to employment law coming into effect on 6 April include:
employees will be eligible for paternity leave from the first day of employment- Currently they must have worked for their employer for 26 weeks
ordinary unpaid parental leave, will also become a day one right – currently, employees must have worked for their employer for 1 year to be eligible
the restriction on taking paternity leave after shared parental leave will be removed
eligible fathers and partners will be able to take up to 52 weeks of unpaid bereaved partner’s paternity leave if the mother or primary adopter dies – they must take this leave within 52 weeks of the child’s birth (including surrogacy), adoption placement, or entry to Great Britain for overseas adoptions
Thousands of families to gain new opportunities to learn, earn and thrive
As a result of £21 million of new, targeted investment in colleges and skills, families at risk of poverty will receive additional support to train, to help them enter stable, well-paid work or progress in their career.
The Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan includes £9 million for a Raising Income through Skills and Education (RISE) Fund, which will give parents and carers practical help to build new skills – offering training they can fit around family life, along with essential support with childcare, travel, and study costs.
A £2 million Training Access Fund will support working adult learners most at risk of poverty to access skills training, to give them the chance to earn more and build a stable career.
A new £10 million Flexible Workforce Development Fund will aim to incentivise businesses to offer training opportunities to parents earning low incomes in a way that meets employer needs while helping working parents and carers increase their earning potential and progress in their careers.
Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson said: “We are committed to making sure that education and training works for everyone, especially those who need it most, as part of our wider efforts to eradicate poverty in Scotland.
“Every person deserves opportunities to build a better future for themselves and their household. This £21 million package of targeted investment in skills will help remove barriers to training, such as childcare and transport costs, which can too often stand between parents and the skills that they need to get on in work.”
Gavin Donoghue, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland, said: “Colleges are strong community anchors across the country, and the funding pledged kick starts a range of ways that colleges can accelerate and expand programmes that support people to leave poverty.
“The investment into more anti-poverty programmes is welcome recognition of the huge part that colleges play in making people’s lives better.
“Colleges are an opportunity that works, serving learners from some of Scotland’s most deprived communities and are a driving force for social good in every part of the country.”
Jacqui Brasted, Scottish Funding Council Director of Access, Learning and Outcomes, said: “Every child should have the opportunity to flourish. Scotland’s colleges can play a vital role in transforming lives by providing a lasting route out of poverty.
“They offer access to the skills and education needed to support families enter, remain and progress in work. We are delighted to be working with Colleges Scotland to ensure that the welcome funding provided by the Scottish Government is targeted where it is needed most.”
Scotland’s first Center Parcs resort will create 1,200 permanent new jobs First Minister John Swinney announced today, as he visited the site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders where the resort will be built.
The Scottish Government has committed up to £30 million over five years to deliver the essential infrastructure needed to make the resort possible. The funding, which will be delivered via South of Scotland Enterprise, unlocks more than £420 million in private funding from Center Parcs, which could not proceed without it.
Work is expected to begin on site in spring 2026, with the resort set to open in summer 2029. The development is expected to increase tourism to the area by 38%, generating £87 million annually for the Scottish economy.
The resort will offer families across Scotland a high-quality staycation option closer to home, reducing the need to travel abroad for short breaks.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Economic growth must reach the people and places that need it most. Investing in the South of Scotland through this project is a direct expression of our belief that every part of Scotland deserves to benefit from a growing economy.
“Investing here is a deliberate statement that we are serious about reducing regional inequality and creating genuine opportunity for young people — 30% of these 1,200 jobs are targeted at 16-to-24-year-olds.
“It is a privilege to be here with local school children to start planting new trees for the site and I look forward to seeing the development of the project before the resort opens in 2029.”
Center Parcs CEO Colin McKinlay said: “We are very grateful for the support of the Scottish Government, as well as South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Borders Council, and the many other partners who have worked with us to unlock the potential of this project.
“Center Parcs will have a transformational effect on the South of Scotland, bringing jobs, tourism, supply chain opportunities and significant economic benefits. It is incredibly exciting for work on site to now be getting underway and we were delighted that the First Minister could join us to commemorate this key milestone.”
Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise Russel Griggs said: “This is a significant moment for the South of Scotland, with Center Parcs being one of a number of big investments we are currently welcoming to our region.
“Center Parcs presents massive opportunities and will help diversify the visitor economy, attract new people, deliver inclusive growth and provide significant supply chain opportunities for SMEs and entrepreneurs.
“This investment also provides a chance to tackle head-on the economic challenges of the past which still impact communities such as Hawick.”
Planning permission for Center Parcs was granted by Scottish Borders Council in December 2025.
Debbi McCulloch, Chief Executive Officer of the Spartans Community Foundation, gave evidence in the Parliament yesterday, where she spoke extensively to the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee about the Foundation’s work in Pilton and the wider community.
During the evidence session Ms McCulloch said that North Edinburgh has fantastic networks and collaboration, referring to R2 and that network’s ability to signpost and help individuals and directly help individuals who might otherwise be missed:
Ms McCulloch said that 94% of young people surveyed by the Spartans said that they felt like they had a trusted adult at the foundation.
"It gives people a chance and a place where they can feel safe and they can feel that they ultimately belong to something that can give them hope." – Debbi McCulloch, @Spartans_CF at our meeting on community sporting initiatives for young people: https://t.co/ep3Vl7OxoSpic.twitter.com/t4GZGQ8DAz
— Education, Children and Young People Committee (@SP_ECYP) March 19, 2026
She says the Foundation’s work has increased employment and volunteering opportunities and has provided families with a place where they can come and be listened to in a dignified way:
Ms McCulloch also gave examples of the impact of the Foundation’s work, referring to Naomi Hume, who is now the Assistant Operations Manager, who started off attending the Foundation’s Street Football offering:
Over a third of workers (35%) think that their employer is ineffective at training managers to support neurodiversity at work, according to a new Acas survey.
The survey, carried out by YouGov, of 1,000 employees across Great Britain found that just 32% think their organisation effectively trains managers to make reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent colleagues.
By contrast, 35% said their employer was ineffective, with 18% of those describing their employer as “very ineffective.” Almost one-third (32%) of respondents said they didn’t know how effective their employer was at supporting neurodivergent staff, pointing to a potential lack of understanding of neurodiversity at work.
Julie Dennis, Acas Head of Inclusive Workplace Strategy and Policy said: “These stats show a potentially worrying lack of knowledge when it comes to supporting neurodivergent colleagues, and how to put support at the centre of workplace policies and training.
“Supporting neurodivergent staff can be simple and cost-effective, and it should be integral to any business. When everyone is given the chance to thrive, every business can too.
“Acas has advice and training for employers on how to raise awareness, be inclusive, sensitive, and stay within the law when managing neurodiversity at work.”
Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how people’s brains behave and process information. Well-known types of neurodivergence include neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
A lot of neurodivergent people do not see themselves as disabled but will often be considered as having a disability under the Equality Act.
The Equality Act gives disabled employees protection against discrimination and the right to reasonable adjustments at work. A reasonable adjustment is a change that an employer makes to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone’s disability.
According to Acas figures, around 15-20% of adults experience and process the world differently. Acas advice is that employers should make their organisation more inclusive, so that staff feel comfortable sharing and talking about neurodiversity.
Acas has some top tips for employers:
Support line managers: Give managers the skills and confidence to recognise needs, agree adjustments and help people perform at their best.
Build real knowledge: Provide practical training so everyone understands how to support neurodivergent colleagues.
Co‑create guidance: Work with neurodivergent staff to design policies, guidance and training that reflect real experiences and needs.
Acas has training in the year ahead on neurodiversity and advice too:
Findings from the UK’s largest mixed‑methods study of disabled remote and hybrid workers show that 85% of respondents say access to homeworking is essential or very important when looking for a new job
Nearly half (46%) of the participants in the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study want to work remotely all the time, with disabled women and disabled carers more likely to want to work fully from home
However, analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data shows declining levels of remote job opportunities. In 2024/25, only one in 23 job adverts on Adzuna (4.3%) were fully remote – half the level seen during the pandemic peak of 8.7% in 2020/21
Growth in the availability of hybrid jobs appears to have stalled, with only one in seven (13.5%) job vacancies offering hybrid work in 2024/25
Researchers warn a shortage of suitable jobs could undermine the Government’s ambition to get Britain working, and echo a recent House of Lords call for Ministers to ensure remote and hybrid working is being prioritised to boost disabled people’s employment.
The Government’s plan to get people working could face a significant challenge as remote-only job opportunities decline, warn researchers behind the largest study of disabled workers experiences of remote and hybrid working in the UK.
Research shows that almost half (46%) of 1,221 survey participants wanted to work remotely all the time, yet the numbers of remote jobs in the UK have decreased drastically since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 50% fewer remote only roles advertised compared to 2020/21.
As part of the largest study of disabled workers’ experiences of remote and hybrid work in the UK – conducted by researchers from Lancaster University, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Universal Inclusion, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation – researchers studied job vacancy data from global job platform, Adzuna.
Remote and hybrid working remain more common than before the pandemic, but growth is slowing. In the year to April 2025, 17.8% of UK vacancies offered either fully remote (4.3%) or hybrid roles (13.5%), up from 3.1% pre-pandemic. However, fully remote jobs have fallen sharply since their peak, and growth in hybrid roles has stalled.
Dr Paula Holland from Lancaster University, who led the research, said: “The increased availability of remote and hybrid working since before the pandemic has improved many disabled people’s experience of work.
“Our findings indicate disabled employees gain significant benefits including improved mental and physical health, better work-life balance and increased productivity.
“However, companies mandating returns to the office have seen remote-only opportunities plummet. This could prevent some disabled workers from returning and staying in work. At a time when the Government wants to get people working, access to suitable homeworking roles can be the difference between working or not working.”
At a time when the Government wants to get people working, disabled workers report that access to suitable homeworking roles can be the difference between working or not working.”
Homeworking can support disabled workers, but only if done well
The UK Government has committed to supporting more disabled people to remain in or return to work as part of its wider efforts to boost employment by two million people to an 80% employment rate.
Disabled people currently represent one in four workers in the workforce, but the disability employment gap – the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people – remains at 29.8 percentage points.
A UK Government study indicates remote work could support people out of work claiming health and disability benefits. One in four respondents (25%) who said they are currently unable to work stated that they could do so if they worked remotely.
The recent House of Lords Home-based Working Inquiry called on the Government to set out whether remote and hybrid working are being considered as part of existing initiatives to support people who are disabled or have long-term health conditions back into work.
The final report of the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study highlights remote and hybrid working as a key part of the solution to improving employment outcomes for disabled people. Key findings include:
· 64% of fully remote disabled workers said their work pattern positively affected their physical health, compared to 31% of those working remotely less than half the time
· 46% of participants wanted to work remotely all the time. There was also demand for hybrid working: 25% wanted to work from home four days a week and 27% for three days or less. Only 1.6% wanted to stop working from home
· Women, carers and people with multiple or severely limiting impairments/health conditions were particularly likely to report they only wanted to work from home
· 85% of participants said that having access to remote/hybrid working would be essential or very important if looking for a new job. 79% would not apply for a job without remote options
· Black and ethnic minority workers and less affluent workers were significantly less likely than white or more affluent workers to report remote/hybrid working had positive outcomes for their health and employment.
Dr Paula Hollandcontinues, “Remote and hybrid working can benefit both employees and employers. The organisations we interviewed reported improved staff retention and recruitment as a result of implementing remote working policies including reduced sick leave and improved wellbeing.
“However, employers must ensure disabled workers have the resources and support they need. Over half of survey participants reported reasonable adjustments to support working from home had not been implemented, and black and ethnic minority workers reported significantly less positive outcomes.”
Rebecca Florisson, Principal Analyst, from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University commented: “For many disabled workers, homeworking isn’t a ‘nice to have’ – it’s essential to be able to enter into, and remain in work.
“Our research shows strong demand for remote and hybrid work among disabled people, yet fully remote job vacancies have halved since the pandemic and growth in hybrid jobs has stalled.
“If the Government is serious about getting Britain working, it must make sure the right jobs are available by expanding access to flexible work. Threats to cut disabled people’s welfare will not support them into work if the jobs they need simply aren’t there.”
Amongst its recommendations, the study calls on the UK Government to:
1. Expand access to remote and hybrid jobs by making these and other forms of flexible working a core part of efforts to increase disabled people’s employment, including through clearing Access to Work backlogs
2. Encourage employers to advertise flexibility upfront, including remote and hybrid options, particularly on the DWP’s Find a Job portal.
3. Address regional inequalities in access to hybrid work through the Government’s Industrial Strategy.
4. Strengthen reasonable adjustments, ensuring employers properly consider remote and hybrid working and meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010.
5. Improve accountability, including requiring large employers to report on outcomes for disabled workers.
Simon, a graphic designer from Derby who has Long Covid, works in a fully remote job for a design agency.He said, “Remote work lets me work. I have chronic fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS).
“Walking a short distance or going up the stairs can really exhaust me. Because I’m energy-limited, I need to budget my energy, pace myself and regularly lie down to rest.
“The adaptations I need are not so much equipment, but the ability to be able to take regular breaks throughout the day, where I can rest and recharge. Homeworking is much more tailored to my needs than being in the office.
“I can make the most of my working hours without a commute, so that means I have much more energy available to use for work itself. I’d find the commute to the office exhausting.
“Remote work has been a lifeline and my employer has been very supportive. Despite my health challenges, I’m just as productive working from home as I was at the office.”
Rebecca from Merseyside is a business manager in the public sector on a temporary fixed-term contract. She is autistic and has ADHD with comorbid anxiety and depression, she said, “I’ve been remote-only since 2020.
“I got an occupational health recommendation for permanent homeworking. The lack of external disruption allows me to better manage my condition.”
She has been looking for a new job for over 20 months, as she is on a temporary fixed-term contract. Rebecca continues: “I would be waiting forever if I only searched for homeworking roles.
In the last year, I’ve been offered four jobs but three have been withdrawn upon receipt of my occupational health recommendation.”
She has now accepted a new permanent full-time home-working contract at a lower salary than her current role, as she doesn’t believe she’ll find another homeworking job at her existing level that meets her needs.
Vera, from London, is in her twenties and works remotely for a healthcare company. Following stem cell treatment for her multiple sclerosis (MS), she was unable to return to a frontline role.
A recent study by the Work Foundation and the MS Society found that nearly half of people with MS (47%) look for job locations that require little or no travel.
“Remote work has made it possible for me to stay in employment — without it I couldn’t work,” she says. “While I’ve reduced my hours to four days a week, working from home means I can manage cognitive fatigue and rest during lunch breaks so I can stay productive.
“But I feel stuck, as there are so few remote-only roles. These are realistically the only roles I can apply for if I want to keep working and progress in my career.”
The report ‘Breaking down barriers: How remote and hybrid work can support disabled workers’ is published at:
Jobseekers are to benefit from the roll-out of mobile jobs vans across Great Britain – outside leisure centres, supermarkets and even football stadiums
New vans rolling out to six additional areas across England and Wales as part of major employment reforms.
Jobcentre on Wheels service puts expert support at heart of the local community – slashing barriers by coming directly to people while they do their weekly shop or see their local team play football.
Roll out is part of wider government plans to Get Britain Working and comes after successful pilot saw over 1,600 people supported.
Jobseekers are to benefit from the roll-out of mobile jobs vans across Great Britain – appearing outside leisure centres, supermarkets and even football stadiums.
Following hugely successful pilots in the Scottish Highlands, North and Mid Wales and Greater Manchester, the number of Jobcentres on Wheels will triple, providing enhanced support in six new areas, with a view to explore rolling out the scheme more extensively after testing its impact.
The vans will take jobcentre staff on the road to communities with some of the highest rates of unemployment where support is needed most. Vans will park up outside family hubs, leisure centres, supermarkets, local events and football matches to make taking that first step towards work as easy as possible.
Once on board, people can meet with one of the DWP’s experienced work coaches who will who offer expert support with job searching and training opportunities.
They can also provide information to those with health conditions or disabilities and for accessing childcare costs.
As well as existing customers, the service is open and accessible to all members of the public and forms part of the government’s wider plans to Get Britain Working, kickstart economic growth and give more opportunities for people to get on in their career.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “We want to break down the barriers that stop people from finding good work, and that means meeting people where they are.
“Jobcentres on Wheels are doing exactly that – bringing employment support into the heart of communities.
“That’s why we’re building on the success we’ve already seen, expanding the service so we can unlock opportunities for even more people across the country.”
The areas the vans will now be extended to are Wakefield, North Nottinghamshire, Barrow-in-Furness, Blackpool, Clevedon and Rhondda Cynon Taf/Bridgend.
To mark the roll out, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden visited the Bolton Mobile Jobcentre which was stationed outside Horwich Leisure Centre.
The Bolton Mobile Jobcentre, which was first launched in January 2025 has already supported nearly 800 customers – many of whom had never set foot into a jobcentre. Bolton has one of the highest inactivity rates in the North West, at 29.2% compared to the national average of 20.8%.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden hopped on our mobile Jobcentre to Bolton
Onboard, Work Coaches offer support and advice to the community – helping break down barriers to good work
It has parked in a range of spaces including Bolton Wanderers’ football stadium on match days, Horwich Leisure Centre, family hubs and community centres, reaching those who might not otherwise access a traditional Jobcentre.
Data shows that just over half of customers visiting the vans are not in receipt of benefits, demonstrating the service is reaching many economically inactive people who may not engage with traditional jobcentres.
For example, in Bolton, a customer with health conditions walked onto the van looking for work. Within one visit, staff found him job leads, referred him to digital support, and connected him with training. The customer said this support was something he would never have thought to look for at a traditional Jobcentre.
Ben Lawton, CEO of Bolton Wanderers in the Community, said: “Here at BWitC we understand the drivers behind the increase in the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
“The relational, holistic, community-based support delivered in trusted settings support those in our community facing these challenges.
“Working alongside Bolton Jobcentre and their Jobcentre Van is key to our Vision of One Bolton Connected in Success.”
The mobile Jobcentres will now operate in nine areas across England, Scotland and Wales, covering a mix of urban, rural, coastal and post-industrial communities. Trebling the Department’s mobile fleet will ensure the service reaches those who may face barriers accessing traditional jobcentres across Great Britain as a whole.
The initiative is part of the government’s commitment to reforming employment services and helping more people overcome barriers to work, including health conditions and caring responsibilities.
It is part of a major programme of reform as a test and learn approach which includes transforming Jobcentres and creating a new national jobs and careers service, backed by £55m as well as launching a new digital offer to deliver a transformative new service that will give anyone access to DWP support wherever they are.
Every adult in the UK is eligible to take free, newly benchmarked courses to gain practical AI skills for work – as joint government and industry programme sees a major expansion to upskill 10 million workers
Free AI foundations training for all workers expanded by government to upskill 10 million people, with new partners including NHS and techUK
Government to ensure UK workers benefit from the changes AI will bring, through launch of new cross-government unit to advise on AI’s economic and labour market impacts
£27 million funding to connect people to tech jobs in local communities, and create new professional practice courses and graduate traineeships
Plans unveiled as Technology Secretary vows to make Britain the leading AI adopter in the G7 and build a workforce that excels in developing, adopting and benefiting from AI
Every adult in the UK is eligible to take free, newly benchmarked courses to gain practical AI skills for work – as the joint government and industry programme sees a major expansion to upskill 10 million workers.
In order to make Britain the fastest adopting AI country in the G7, the UK is setting ambitious targets to ensure the workforce is adequately skilled, confident and ready to grasp the full opportunities of AI.
This could create more higher-skilled jobs and free workers up from routine tasks, with increasing the adoption of AI potentially unlocking up to £140 billion in annual economic output (note) as part of our plans for national renewal.
A selection of industry-developed AI courses, newly available on the Government’s AI Skills Hub, have been checked against Skills England’s AI foundation skills for work benchmark, with those who complete these courses receiving a virtual AI foundations badge.
Open to all UK adults online, taking as little as under 20 minutes, the courses will give people the skills needed to use simple AI tools effectively in the workplace and teach the use of AI for tasks like drafting text, creating content and completing administrative tasks, to free up time to focus on other work.
This training will give both workers and employers confidence in their new skills, and set standards for what good AI upskilling looks like. The programme has already delivered one million courses since June through monumental government and industry efforts.
NHS workers and local government employees will be among those to benefit. Major public sector, business representative organisations, and industry partners onboarding – including Britain’s biggest employer, the NHS – is enabling government to raise the ambition to now reach 10 million workers this decade. This is equivalent to upskilling nearly a third of this country’s workforce and includes reaching at least 2 million SME employees. This is the biggest targeted training programme since Harold Wilson started the Open University.
Recognising that AI will bring changes to jobs and work as we know it, the Tech Secretary is also launching the new AI and the Future of Work Unit to remain front-footed in addressing inevitable challenges.
Backed by a panel of experts from business and trade unions, the unit will provide the best analysis and evidence on AI’s impact on the economy and labour market to provide timely advice on when new policies should be implemented across government. It will ensure the AI transition boosts economic growth, supports workers to adapt, protects communities from the mistakes of past industrial change, and delivers a fair, dignified future of work for everyone, where people are supported into better jobs in a more productive economy.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall said: “We want AI to work for Britain, and that means ensuring Britons can work with AI.
“Change is inevitable, but the consequences of change are not. We will protect people from the risks of AI while ensuring everyone can share in its benefits.
“That starts with giving people the skills and confidence they need to seize the opportunities AI brings, putting the power and control into their hands.”
Research published yesterday finds only 21% of UK workers feel confident using AI at work, and adoption remains low with only 1 in 6 UK businesses using AI as of mid-2025. UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) report a lower rate of AI adoption, with micro businesses 45% less likely to adopt AI than large businesses.
The Technology Secretary addressed Bloomberg HQ in London yesterday (Wednesday 28 January). where she confirmed:
New partners – British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), Cisco, Cognizant, Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Department for Education (DfE), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Institute of Directors (IOD) – Local Government Association (LGA), Multiverse, NHS, Pax8 and techUK will unlock AI upskilling for even more workers.
They will join the esteemed ranks of founding partners – Accenture, Amazon, Barclays, BT, Google, IBM, Intuit, Microsoft, Sage, SAS and Salesforce to take the AI Skills Boost programme to the next level and upskill 10 million workers with AI skills by 2030.
£27 million funding announced to kickstart government’s TechLocal scheme – part of the £187 million TechFirst programme – which will help employers fill or create up to 1,000 tech jobs in communities across the UK, and enable new professional practice courses, graduate traineeships, and work experience opportunities in AI.
Government has launched offers to apply for the Spärck AI Scholarship at 9 UK Universities. The scholarships will give up to 100 talented AI and STEM Master’s students access to industry partnerships, work placements and mentorship opportunities throughout their studies, alongside covering both tuition and living expenses.
This comes alongside government’s Skills for Life digital skills offer. The campaign provides easy access to thousands of free or government subsidised courses covering the essential digital skills people need for work and life, and digital skills people need to be able to take the next step towards a career in technology. AI is one of the pillars of the digital tech sector plan as part of the Industrial Strategy.
Since making the commitment in June, founding partners Accenture, Amazon, Barclays, BT, Google, IBM, Intuit, Microsoft, Sage, Salesforce, and SAS have been hard at work to get AI skills to millions of workers by the end of the decade.
From workshops to online training, workforce and business outreach, all industry partners have played a crucial role in changing the lives of workers in communities country-wide.
To see what this looks like firsthand and hear from people taking part in AI upskilling and the positive impact it’s had on them in their personal and professional lives, Secretary of State, Liz Kendall visited a Google Digital Garage session at Google HQ in London on Monday 26th January.
More than 93% of young people were in work, training or further study nine months after they left school, according to the latest figures.
The proportion in these positive destinations has grown from 85.9% in 2009-10.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “These figures show the proportion of Scotland’s young people achieving positive destinations is almost back to pre-pandemic levels and at a near record high.
“The increase among those in Higher and Further Education is hugely encouraging and testament to the hard work of those young people and the extraordinary support provided by Scotland’s teachers, lecturers and other support staff.
“The gap in positive destinations between young people from our most and least deprived communities has more than halved since 2009-10, but this latest data shows we still have more to do. We also know this cohort of young people faced significant disruption to their education during the pandemic.
“A range of support, including from careers advisers and the Developing the Young Workforce network, is available for young people considering their options after school.
“I am determined to ensure young people can access the right help they need to enable them into a positive destination and this Government will continue to invest in opportunities for young people across Scotland.”
Anyone legally classed as an employee
