Tag: Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Scottish Power supports Young Person’s Guarantee to aid Green Recovery Plan

ScottishPower today confirmed it will commit to the Young Person’s Guarantee as part of its overall plan to support the UK’s Green Recovery.

To avoid a ‘lost generation’, the new Young Person’s Guarantee aims to ensure all 16-24 year olds in Scotland get the chance to succeed through an apprenticeship, job, training, further education or volunteering.

The commitment by ScottishPower marks the start of 2021’s Scottish Apprenticeship Week (1-5 March). 

ScottishPower is one of the largest employers in Scotland and currently has around 5,500 staff at sites across the UK, including 1650 at its Glasgow-based HQ. It is the UK’s only integrated energy company and generates 100% green electricity.

A Principal Partner for the United Nations climate change conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow later this year, it is investing a total of £10bn in the clean energy generation and networks infrastructure needed to help the UK decarbonise.

Under the Guarantee, it is making five commitments to help young people at this critical time:

  • prepare young people for the world of work through work experience, volunteering and work-based learning opportunities
  • engage with and provide opportunities to young people who face barriers to work
  • create work-based learning, training and upskilling opportunities for young people
  • create jobs and opportunities for young people through apprenticeships, paid internships and work experience
  • create an inclusive workplace to support learning and enable young people to meet their potential

ScottishPower already has a range of successful apprenticeship schemes, scholarships, internships, summer placements and other opportunities to support people either entering the workplace for the first time, from school leavers to graduates, or those returning after career breaks.

Under Young Person’s Guarantee, it is committing to furthering its opportunities for young people and those from disadvantaged backgrounds around the UK. This will include grassroots pre-employment schemes in local communities for young people in and around Glasgow.

Sheila Duncan, ScottishPower’s HR Director, said: “The theme for Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2021 is Business Backing Talent and what better way to show our commitment to the future of our young people than by committing to support Young Person’s Guarantee.

“Young people are quite simply the future of our business and we know how successful our apprenticeship and employability schemes can be in terms of attracting, training and retaining talent.

“The past year has been incredibly difficult for our young people and accessing opportunities to help energise their careers shouldn’t seem out of their reach. 

“I’m delighted we’re supporting the Guarantee and we’re fully committed to ensuring there are a wide range of exciting opportunities available to them as we strive to deliver a better future, quicker.”

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Apprenticeships are a key part of our work to support our young people, who have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic.

“The Scottish Government is committed to helping our young people and we have dedicated £25 million to increase apprenticeship opportunities in response to Covid-19.

“Not only do these valuable opportunities provide essential experience to progress, they are also hugely beneficial to our employers and businesses.

“Apprenticeships are also a crucial aspect of our million Young Person’s Guarantee, which since November has created around 18,000 opportunities for people aged between 16 and 24 to help them into work, education or training.

“I want our young people and employers to know we support you and will continue to do all we can to build a strong economy recovery for Scotland.”

Amey marks Scottish Apprenticeship Week with apprenticeship pledge

To mark the launch of Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2021 (1st – 5th March)  leading infrastructure company Amey, has pledged that 5% of its overall workforce will be made up of apprentices. 

In order to achieve this goal, 22 new apprenticeships, including degree-level roles, are being offered this year on Amey’s Scottish contracts.  

Amey’s Transport Infrastructure business in Scotland already employs 10 Modern Apprentices, 2 Graduate Apprentices and supports around 34 Foundation Apprentices. 

Foundation Apprenticeships are a work-based learning qualification for secondary school students providing them with a stepping stone into a career and a full-time Modern or Graduate Apprenticeship with an employer.

Four of these apprenticeships are in North Lanarkshire, with a further thirty in Dumfries & Galloway. 

Kenny Kerr, Business Director of Amey’s Transport Infrastructure accounts in Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: “Providing apprenticeship opportunities are a core part of our future growth, and essential to increasing diversity and the adoption of new skills across our business.

“Our continued support for Scottish Apprenticeship Week demonstrates our commitment to the entire apprenticeship family. We currently support Foundation, Modern and Graduate apprenticeships within our accounts, working closely with key partners such as Skills Development Scotland, colleges and universities and the Scottish Government. 

“We have learned the value of apprenticeships, as they allow our existing workforce to pass on their knowledge and experience to a future generation of skilled employees. Amey apprentices can obtain a range of practical, transferable skills that will stand them in good stead throughout their career. 

“Our investment in apprenticeships helps us meet the objectives of our clients, which include Transport Scotland and North Lanarkshire Council, by providing jobs, training and learning opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. With hopeful signs of a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and a return to economic growth, continued support for apprenticeships will ensure our company continues to develop and thrive.” 

Amey’s Transport and Infrastructure division looks after some of the most iconic and economically vital routes across Scotland, including the M8/M73/M74 network, North Lanarkshire roads and lighting and the Scottish South-West Trunk Road Network. 

Amey’s Apprenticeship Programme involves candidates completing both a technical certificate in their chosen area as well as a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) and incorporates the Duke of Edinburgh’s Business Award as a core part of the programme. 

To find out more about apprenticeship opportunities with Amey visit: https://www.amey.co.uk/your-career/early-careers/apprentices/ 

Amey training and work experience learning in 2020/21 is delivered virtually in accordance with Scottish Government guidance on social distancing and hygiene due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Nationwide apprentice network “will inspire next generation”

Pupils in every high school across Scotland will benefit from a new national network of apprentices, helping to inspire future generations to benefit from apprenticeship opportunities.

Scotland’s Apprentice Network is open to current and former apprentices who want to encourage young people to follow in their footsteps, with every school in Scotland to be linked with an ambassador from the network.

The network was launched by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Forth Valley College, where she met engineering apprentices as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

The First Minister said: “Creating this network of apprentices, who can share their experiences with others, will help inspire the next generation.

“We know that work-based learning delivers for individuals, employers, and the Scottish economy. Through the network, apprentices are going to have the chance to inspire young people to follow their example and become the apprentices of tomorrow.

“Their success stories are the best way to show pupils that work-based learning offers fantastic career opportunities.”

Director of National Training Programmes at Skills Development Scotland, Katie Hutton, said: “We know that the best people to showcase the benefits of apprenticeships are successful apprentices.

“Through the network, apprentices will have a unique opportunity to talk directly to school pupils who are making their career choices and encourage others to follow in their footsteps.”

Scotland’s Apprentice Network is facilitated by Skills Development Scotland (SDS). SDS will ensure the inclusive recruitment of network members, from across the whole of Scotland, different sectors, industries and disciplines.

Network members will use their own first-hand experiences to communicate the benefits of Foundation, Modern and Graduate apprenticeships to young people, employers, parents, schools and other stakeholders at a local level, ensuring employers and schools can benefit from the national network.

Current and former apprentices are being encouraged to sign up and join the network – www.apprenticeships.scot/network

 

 

Over 1,300 Graduate Apprenticeship places for 2019/20.

More than 1,300 new Graduate Apprenticeship work-based learning opportunities will help boost Scotland’s economy and give people a head-start in their careers.

Fair Work Secretary Derek Mackay announced that the target for Graduate Apprenticeships in 2019/20 has been increased to 1,300. This builds on last year’s achieved target of 800 and recognises the increasing demand for gaining degree level qualifications whilst in employment.

Graduate Apprenticeships have been developed by Skills Development Scotland, in partnership with industry and the further and higher education sectors, to provide work-based learning opportunities up to Master’s degree level.

Supporting sectors that have a need for highly skilled jobs, such as civil engineering, digital and cyber security, graduate apprenticeships provide learning and development opportunities for new and existing employees and enable employers to upskill their workforce.

The growth of Graduate Apprenticeships supports the Scottish Government’s ambition to create 30,000 apprenticeship jobs a year by 2020.

Making the announcement ahead of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, Mr Mackay said: “Apprenticeships are a vital piece of the jigsaw to improve Scotland’s productivity, benefitting individuals, employers and the wider economy. That is why we are investing in more apprenticeship opportunities than ever before, ensuing more people benefit from work-based learning.

“We remain firmly on track to achieve our ambitious target of 30,000 new apprenticeship starts by 2020, with a focus on higher level apprenticeships. By increasing the number of Graduate Apprenticeships available for 2019/20 to more than 1,300, more people will have the opportunity to study while they earn and gain first-hand experience of their industry.”

The expansion includes the wider roll out of the Graduate Apprenticeship in Data Science, following a successful pilot funded by the Scottish Government and run in partnership with St Andrews University, University of Edinburgh and global accounting and business services firm, PwC.

Access to Graduate Apprenticeships has also increased through provision, with opportunities available for the first time through University of Aberdeen.

Skills Development Scotland Chief Executive Damien Yeates said: “Apprenticeships offer employers a unique opportunity to invest in and develop the skills their business needs for the future.

“SDS continues to work with business to increase the number of new apprenticeship jobs through Modern and Graduate opportunities – creating skills that meet their needs.

“Scottish apprenticeships now allow employers to introduce young people to their business while they are still at school and keep them in their workforce until they are degree qualified.”

Scottish Apprenticeship Week is the nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging more employers to take on apprentices.

This year’s theme is ‘Skills for the Future’, recognising the importance of investing in the workforce. The hashtag for the week is #ScotAppWeek.

Graduate Apprenticeship delivery partners include:

  • Edinburgh Napier University
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • Glasgow Kelvin College
  • Heriot-Watt University
  • Open University
  • Queen Margaret University
  • Robert Gordon University
  • University of the West of Scotland
  • University of Aberdeen
  • University of Dundee
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Glasgow
  • University of Strathclyde
  • University of the Highlands and Islands

 

You’re hired: Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Thinking of a career change? Don’t dismiss an apprenticeship!

aaprentices

Discontented workers in Edinburgh looking to change careers could be limiting their options by assuming that apprenticeships are just for school leavers, according to new research released today from Scottish Gas. Continue reading You’re hired: Scottish Apprenticeship Week