Results Day is a major milestone for learners across Scotland, with thousands opening envelopes to find out what they have been awarded in their National Qualifications and Awards.
But on the day itself, and throughout the year, there are other achievements being celebrated too. Apprenticeships, vocational qualifications, college pathways and social enterprises are opening doors to rewarding careers and opportunities, offering routes that stand alongside and sometimes go far beyond a traditional academic path.
Take Ellie Sandison’s path in Shetland. After leaving university when full-time study alongside work didn’t suit her, Ellie found her direction through a front-desk role at Shetland Museum and Archives.
Ellie (PICTURED, top) went on to complete the Museum Galleries Technician Modern Apprenticeship, earning a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Museum and Galleries Practice while working full time, and now works as a Learning & Engagement Assistant at the museum, delivering sessions on Shetland’s heritage to schools and community groups.
“My career path was not exactly straightforward,” she says, “but all the skills I learned along the way brought me to where I am today, and I absolutely love what I do.”
Kai Henderson from Aberdeenshire began his career journey while still at school with a Foundation Apprenticeship in Business Skills. That first step led him through a Modern Apprenticeship and then a Graduate Apprenticeship, and ultimately into his current role as Head of AI and Data.
“The pathway through apprenticeships is a brilliant route,” Kai says. “Not only have I been able to gain qualifications, knowledge and skills, but I was able to get real and meaningful experience from joining a team in a working environment.”
Younger learners are finding similarly transformative experiences outside of the school classroom. At Scran Academy in Edinburgh, a youth-led catering social enterprise, young people aged 13 to 16 build practical skills and gain Qualifications Scotland qualifications in food preparation, enterprise and work placement, often after disengaging from mainstream school.
For Jacob, the difference was clear from the start: “Scran offered me a place where I didn’t just feel like a number,” he says. “All the cooking qualifications helped me to get my job in a kitchen and are the reason I have the job in the first place.”
At St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Glasgow, pupils are choosing specialist qualifications even after achieving success through traditional routes. The school’s National Progression Award (NPA) in Cyber Security has proven so popular that some learners return in S6 to study it despite already holding a Higher in Computing Science.
Former pupil Elodie, now studying Computing Science at the University of Glasgow, says the course “got me more interested in the sector,” and has shaped her ambition to work in data privacy and human rights.
The same school’s NPA in Business and Marketing has delivered similarly impressive results, most notably through the entrepreneurship part of the course, where a team of S6 pupils recently won a national competition with a wearable safety device for women.
One of the winning team, Jovita, says the course “gave me huge confidence” as she prepares to begin studying English and Film at Edinburgh Napier University, with ambitions to become a producer.
Not every pathway runs smoothly, but that’s part of the journey too. In Glasgow, Demi Crawford is completing a Painting and Decorating apprenticeship through City Building Training College, having overcome a serious knee injury that required surgery and led to a lot of absence.
With a tailored timetable to help her catch up, she’s now heading into her fourth and final year, preparing to sit the skills test that will qualify her as a tradesperson. “No two days are the same,” she says, “which makes work more enjoyable.”
For 50-year-old Cyprien Bayekelua, also in Glasgow, the pathway into a new career started with English lessons. Having come to Scotland speaking French, Cyprien progressed through Glasgow Clyde College’s Social Services pathway, from a qualification in English for Speakers of Other Languages all the way to a Higher National Certificate in Social Services, overcoming challenges around age and language along the way.
“These challenges were difficult,” he says, “but they also helped me grow stronger and more determined.” He now plans to continue supporting elderly service users.
Nick Page, Chief Executive Officer at Qualifications Scotland said: “Results Day is about celebrating every learner’s achievement, whatever path they’ve taken.
“These stories show the incredible range of routes available, from foundation apprenticeships and work-based learning to vocational qualifications delivered in schools, colleges and community initiatives.
“I’ve seen it first-hand myself when visiting centres across the country, and I’m continually impressed with the hard work of learners everywhere.
“Whether it’s a young person discovering a passion for cyber security, building a new career in social care later in life, or an apprentice overcoming setbacks to qualify, each of these journeys proves that success looks different for everyone.
“I want to congratulate every person who has worked incredibly hard to get to where they are, and for every learner in Scotland to know there is a path that’s right for them.”
