At least 28,000 new apprentices will be trained in the year beginning in April, with increased support for rural areas and key sectors in 2018/19, Minister for Employability and Training Jamie Hepburn MSP has announced.
He furthermore confirmed changes to the rural supplement and increased funding for apprenticeships in key sectors. These enhancements will mitigate the cost of service delivery in rural locations and provide additional support for training in key sectors, such as social services.
Mr Hepburn said:
“Over the last year we have seen tremendous progress against our Developing the Young Workforce targets, hitting our headline objective of reducing youth unemployment by 40%, four years ahead of schedule.
“Despite this success, it is vital we continue to develop Scotland’s young workforce to meet the emerging needs and opportunities of our employers and economy.
“That is why we are expanding the number of Modern Apprenticeship places available to 28,000 next year, meaning even more people can access a wide variety of vocational skills and training.”
Kenneth Gibson commented:
“I am especially pleased that by increasing access to the rural supplement, the SNP Government is ensuring rural areas - of which we have plenty in North Ayrshire - don’t lose out, whilst additional funding for key sectors such as social services will mean support is directed to where it is most needed.
“This Government has substantially increased the number of new apprenticeships in Scotland from around 10,500 in 2008 to 28,000 in 2018-19 and remains on track to achieve 30,000 new apprenticeship starts by 2020.
“As well as growing the Modern Apprenticeship programme, the SNP is committed to enhancing and widening the apprenticeship offering, ensuring that more people than ever before can benefit from work-based learning through the expansion of Foundation and Graduate Apprenticeships.
“More than 3,500 new work-based learning opportunities will help boost Scotland’s economy and give young people a head-start in their careers; the SNP Government’s national skills agency, Skills Development Scotland (SDS), will support the delivery of 2,600 Foundation Apprenticeships for young people at school and funding will also be made available through the Scottish budget to create almost 900 Graduate Apprenticeship opportunities within the expansion of the Modern Apprenticeship programme.
“I encourage any young people across North Ayrshire to have a look at https://www.apprenticeships.scot/become-an-apprentice/graduate-apprenticeships/ to find out more about what it means to become an apprentice and existing apprenticeship opportunities near any post code of your choice.”
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