20,000 Pass Apprenticeships

More than 20 thousand Scots have passed modern apprentice training, that equates to three quarters of all of those to start a course.

The figures also show:

• 80 percent of starts were aged 16-24 and a further 20 per cent were aged 25+
• 64 percent of starts were at level 3 or above.
• The achievement rate was 74 percent.
• There were 17,339 starts on the Employability Fund during 2014/15, exceeding the annual target

In Fife, the council has committed more than 6 million pounds the past few years to get 16-24 year olds into employment or training through a "youth jobs contract".

Skills Development Scotland (SDS), which oversees MAs, is aiming to increase apprenticeship opportunities to at least 30,000 each year by 2020.

Damien Yeates, Chief Executive of SDS, said: “The delivery of more than 100,000 Modern Apprenticeships over four years demonstrates that more and more people are recognising the value of earning while you learn.
“It’s a great testament to employers in Scotland that they have sustained their investment in Modern Apprenticeship opportunities right through the economic downturn. It’s also a great credit to the Modern Apprentices that so many have successfully completed or are on their way to completing their apprenticeship.
“The enduring appeal of Modern Apprenticeships is that they are driven by employer demand and for the individual they allow the apprentices to get a job and learn while they earn.” 

But the Scottish Conservatives say the level is half the level it should be if Scotland is to keep up with the rest of the UK.

Fife MSP and the party's enterprise spokesman Murdo Fraser said:

“The Scottish Government announced today that there were 25,000 new apprentices last year - but that’s still about half the number it should be.

“The SNP is allowing us to slip behind the rest of the UK, and it’s our young people who are paying the price through the opportunities they are missing. For all its strong words, the SNP hasn’t been able to improve the number of people starting apprenticeships in Scotland in recent years, and that has to change.

“It’s an essential way to get people into the jobs they want to do, and ensure our economy isn’t left crying out for skilled workers across numerous sectors.”