New figures from Skills Development Scotland have confirmed that Scotland is on track to achieve its target of 30,000 Modern Apprenticeships starts by 2020.
According to Minister for Employability and Training, Jamie Hepburn, the statistics were welcome, and illustrated that Scotland is now among the countries with the lowest youth unemployment rates in the EU. “We are exceeding our Modern Apprenticeship targets with employers clearly recognising the value of the opportunities they bring to increase skills in our workforce and encourage new talent,” he said.
“As we work towards our 2020 target of expanding the number of Modern Apprenticeship starts to 30,000 each year, we are growing, widening and enhancing the apprenticeship programme to respond to employers’ needs.”
Exceeding the target
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) said that 26,262 people started a Modern Apprenticeship during the 2016/17 period, which represented a number in excess of the annual target. Further, in the fourth quarter of the year, 76 per cent (19,847) of those starting a Modern Apprenticeship were aged between 16-24.
Mr Hepburn added: “In 2017, we are expanding the number of Graduate Level and Foundation Apprenticeships, giving more individuals the chance to take on work-based learning through universities and schools,” he said.
Skills Development Scotland’s chief executive, Damien Yeates, said: “It is great news for young people, employers and Scotland as a whole that we now have a record number of Modern Apprentices. We will continue to work with individuals, employers, training providers and partners to widen access to apprenticeship and the opportunities that work based learning provides.”
