SCSC letter to the media urging employers to take on a Modern Apprenticeship with ASN
Monday marks the beginning of Scottish Apprenticeship Week and given this we are delighted to note the Scottish Government’s recent pledge of £500,000 to support apprenticeship opportunities for under-represented groups such as care leavers and those with a disability, something we have been campaigning on for some time.
Figures from Skills Development Scotland show that north of the border less than 0.4% of those in a Modern Apprenticeship (MA) have a declared disability. Yet approximately 8% of the 16-24 year old target population is disabled. In comparison, figures from the Skills Funding Agency in England indicate a figure of 8.7% of those in MAs have a disability.
In addition to this group care leavers experience some of the poorest educational and employment outcomes of any group of young people, with one in three unemployed 9 months after leaving school.
The rewards of getting these young people, many of whom boast excellent skills into work, are well worth it, with higher loyalty and retention rates.
In recent years the Scottish Government has taken a number of positive and significant steps for young people in these categories, through the likes of the Employer Recruitment Incentive, but based on these figures we clearly need to do more. We need better buy in from businesses and employers as it is they who can make the vital difference. And we also need the Scottish Government to set realistic targets for care leavers and those with a disability undertaking MAs, as recommended by the Wood Commission.
As we mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2015, we would urge Scotland’s employers to look beyond the label when taking on a Modern Apprentice and take advantage of the excellent skills offered by many of these young people.
Yours faithfully,
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:
Tom McGhee, Managing Director, Spark of Genius
Duncan Dunlop, Chief Executive, Who Cares? Scotland
Sophie Pilgrim, Director, Kindred Scotland
Stuart Jacob, Director, Falkland House School
Niall Kelly, Managing Director, Young Foundations
Related Posts
- Budget call as figures show more than 1,500 children have been waiting over a year for mental health treatment ( March 2, 2021 )
- Letter of support for appointment of an autism commissioner ( February 3, 2021 )
- Coalition urges action as figures highlight a more than 50 per cent drop in legal support for children with complex needs ( December 24, 2020 )
- Concerns raised as a third of pupils identified with additional support needs while support falls ( December 15, 2020 )
- Mental health emergency warning as more than 1,000 children have been waiting more than a year for treatment ( December 1, 2020 )
- World Mental Health Day ( October 10, 2020 )
- Call for a ‘national crusade’ as requests for mental health support slump ( September 4, 2020 )
- Coalition raises major concerns over falling levels of school leavers with additional support needs in positive destinations ( June 16, 2020 )
- Latest waiting time figures highlight perfect COVID-19 storm for children’s mental health ( June 2, 2020 )
- Let’s be mindful of the impact on mental health that crisis will have ( April 17, 2020 )
Archives
- March 2021
- February 2021
- December 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- June 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015