Our young people are our future

The greatest asset this country has is its workforce. Think about that for a minute. The people that make, x, create, care, teach, serve, sell and navigate keep the wheels in motion, the cogs turning and the country going.

The best investment this country can make is in the future of our young people by furnishing them with opportunities to learn skills that help them earn a living, enjoy nancial stability, nd a purpose within their community and contribute to the country’s economy. This has long been recognised. across the British Isles within the ne tradition of apprenticeships. They can be traced back to the 1500s, via trade guilds which developed to set standards of workmanship, training and quali cations, with young people signing indentures and their parents often paying a premium to the ‘master’ for the privilege of their child learning a trade. Fast forward 500 years and the principle is the same but our industries have since become very good at it - and the rewards for both the individual and the employer have certainly improved too. From midway through secondary education to leaving university there is an apprenticeship for everyone and everyone wins when a nation has a strong apprenticeship system. Skills Development Scotland and Education Scotland’s ‘Developing the Young Workforce’ and the ‘Young Person’s Guarantee’ work together with further education establishments and employers to achieve this.

Employers are investing in apprenticeships to adapt, develop and strengthen their businesses through new recruits and upskilling existing employees.

Apprentices across Scotland, from Shetland to the Borders, are learning rst-hand from people who can do the job and applying their skills in the workplace every day.

Scottish Apprenticeship Week shows the bene ts workbased learning brings to people, businesses and the Scottish economy.

Apprenticeships are providing critical skills needed to support economic priorities and renewal, including Net Zero ambitions.