Question reference: S6W-16938
- Date lodged: 6 April 2023
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Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 4 May 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships, including graduate apprenticeships.
Answer
Apprenticeships are a vital resource for employers to invest in their workforce and for people to develop their skills. Investing in skills across people’s lifetimes is critical to our future productivity and success, underlining our commitment to a skilled workforce set out within the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.
Our priority is for high quality apprenticeships that provide sustainable jobs and careers, supporting our transition to net zero.
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) have issued contract awards to support up to 25,500 new Modern Apprenticeship starts in 2023-24. This builds upon the 25,000 Modern Apprenticeship starts which Ministers asked SDS to deliver in 2022-23. SDS previously issued contracts in March for over 39,000 Modern Apprentices in training for 2023/24, supporting businesses and individuals across Scotland.
In terms of Graduate Apprenticeships (GA), the Scottish Funding Council published its indicative University Funding Allocations on 13 April 2023 and it is expected that 1,378 GA places will be delivered in 2023-24. This maintains comparable levels of GA starts of that in 2022-23.