28 February 2010
College of Europe
Postgraduate students from Scotland intending to study at the College of Europe in Bruges next year will continue to receive financial support from the Scottish Government.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Mike Russell, re-assured future students in light of previous uncertainly surrounding funding from other administrations in the UK. Read full news release.
26 February 2010
Funding for colleges and universities
Funding of £692.7 million for colleges and £1.076 billion for universities was announced today.
The Scottish Government's Budget for 2010-11 is providing universities with an extra £42.9 million for learning, teaching and research compared to the 2009-10 budget. Colleges will get a total cash increase of £44.8 million. This was confirmed in a letter from the Education Secretary Michael Russell to the Scottish Funding Council last night and follows his commitment to provide support for the 7,500 extra students pursuing higher education courses at colleges and universities. Read full news release.
15 February 2010
£2.2 million for Scotland's third sector
The Scottish Government today announced the organisations to benefit from a £2.2 million fund set up to support Scotland's third sector through the recession.
Originally set at £1.7 million, Ministers increased the Third Sector Resilience Fund by 30 per cent in response to the level of need demonstrated. Read full news release.
Developing the prison estate
Low Moss prison proves the Scottish Government is investing in a prison estate fit for the 21st century, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said today.
Mr MacAskill was speaking as work began on the site of the new prison at Bishopbriggs. When completed in early 2012, the new publicly funded prison will have the capacity to hold 700 prisoners. Read full news release.
12 February 2010
Council of Economic Advisers
The Council of Economic Advisers' (CEA) held their eighth meeting in Aberdeen today where First Minister Alex Salmond outlined the Scottish Government's response to recommendations made in its second annual report. Read full news release.
11 January 2010
Funding for jobs
A European cash injection of more than £34 million will be invested in programmes to develop Scotland's workforce and safeguard and create jobs.
Speaking at a National Job Summit in Glasgow, First Minister Alex Salmond outlined the new allocations from the European Social Fund (ESF) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) that will help 28,000 people to gain or sustain employment opportunities through skills development and support the creation of 193 jobs. Read full news release.
Invest in an apprentice
Scottish businesses of all sizes and in all sectors are to be given the opportunity to receive £1,000 to take on a new Apprentice.
The latest strand of the 'Invest in an Apprentice' scheme and a national marketing campaign was announced ahead of today's Jobs Summit - Keep Scotland Working in Glasgow. Read full news release.
16 December 2009
Search for the stars of education
The Scottish Education Awards 2010, which will celebrate the achievements of pupils and teachers in Scotland, were launched at Mearns Primary today. Read full news release.
15 December 2009
Russell vows to listen to the classroom
The people involved in our nurseries, schools, colleges and universities are the people who know best. No teacher, pupil, parent, auxiliary or janitor with thoughts on how we can make things better will go unheard, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning said today. Read full news release.
09 December 2009
Funding for Eco Schools
Increased support for Scotland's Eco Schools Programme has been announced today with £425,000 provided to Keep Scotland Beautiful for the period 2010-11. Read full news release.
08 December 2009
Attainment in Higher Education and Destinations of Leavers 2007-08
Statistics on qualifiers from higher education courses at Scottish higher education institutions (HEIs) and Scottish colleges for 2007-08 have been published today by Scotland's Chief Statistician, along with survey information on the first destinations of full-time, EU domiciled qualifiers in the same year. Read full news release.
07 December 2009
Future of Gaelic
Scotland's new Cabinet Secretary for Education has set out his vision for how Scotland can create a new generation of Gaelic speakers. Read full news release.
04 December 2009
Council of Economic Advisers
The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), chaired by Sir George Mathewson, has published its Second Annual Report.
The report considers the recent progress of the Scottish economy and presents the Council's recommendations to the Scottish Government for actions to increase sustainable economic growth - the Purpose of the Scottish Government. Read full news release.
27 November 2009
Pupils and teachers in Scotland, 2009
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published results of the annual pupil and teacher censuses.
These statistics provide the latest data on the number of pupils, teachers and schools in the publicly funded sector, the types and sizes of schools and classes, and other pupil and teacher characteristics. Read full news release.
26 November 2009
More new schools
The primary school element of the first tranche of the new school building programme will see 21 new school building projects across 19 local authorities. Read full news release.
24 November 2009
Destinations of leavers from Scottish schools, 2008-09
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published a range of statistics relating to the destinations of leavers from Scottish schools.
The statistics relate to the destinations in September 2009 of young people who left school during the 2008-09 academic year. Read full news release.
23 November 2009
Improving behaviour in Scotland's schools
An extensive new survey of staff perceptions on behaviour in schools shows that pupil behaviour is improving compared with 2006 findings. Read full news release.
20 November 2009
Review of teacher education
A review will be carried out to examine the current system of educating teachers both at initial student stage and during their professional career to meet the needs of pupils in the 21st century and Curriculum for Excellence. Read full news release.
19 November 2009
Education at the heart of new school safeguards
Education will be at the centre of consultations on changes to schools, with an educational benefit statement and report from HMIE required in every case. Read full news release.
18 November 2009
Higher Education Student Support in Scotland 2008-09
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published statistics on Higher Education Student Support in Scotland in 2008-09. These figures provide information on support provided or assessed by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to higher education students in Scotland and elsewhere in academic years 2003-04 to 2008-09. The statistics in this release supersede those published by Scotland's Chief Statistician on November 25, 2008. Read full news release.
13 November 2009
School leaver support
School leavers are to get extra help in training for jobs, it was announced today. Read full news release.
04 November 2009
Scottish businesses benefiting from ScotAction
Companies across Scotland are benefiting from a raft of support measures to recruit Modern Apprentices which have been introduced over the last six months. Read full news release.
02 November 2009
Help at hand for pupils and parents
A new national campaign has been launched to encourage and empower parents to find out about the help available to support children through difficult periods in life. Read full news release.
Recruiting Scotland's future managers
Small businesses in Scotland will be able to access £2,000 to recruit a Management Apprentice, it was announced today. Read full news release.
01 November 2009
Safeguarding apprenticeships
Small and medium businesses in the construction, engineering and manufacturing industries will be offered financial support to safeguard the jobs of any apprentice at threat of redundancy. Read full news release.
29 October 2009
Apprenticeship scheme
Small and Medium size businesses in the manufacturing, textiles, food and drink and energy sectors will be given a £2,000 financial incentive to take on a new apprentice. Read full news release.
28 October 2009
Promoting school-business links
Schools are being supported to build stronger links with local employers through a new online resource from Determined to Succeed, the Scottish Government strategy for enterprise in education. Read full news release.
Support for students
Incomes of students hit by the recession could increase by as much as £1,227 for independent students, the bulk of whom will be 'mature' students, and up to £622 for dependent students, it was announced today. Read full news release.
09 October 2009
Home energy apprentices
Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop today met with the first 50 young people taking part in a new apprenticeship in home energy efficiency. Read full news release.
07 October 2009
Increase in student support
Up to 75,900 students, or 68 per cent of the eligible student population in Scotland, will see their income increase in the next academic year, under new measures announced today by the Scottish Government. Read full news release.
30 September 2009
Curriculum for Excellence in nurseries
Scotland's youngest pupils are to benefit from the new approach to learning and teaching being embedded in the nation's classrooms through materials being issued to every nursery, pre-school and primary from today. Read full news release.
Let me tell you a story
Storytellers from the indigenous and contemporary cultures of North America, Australia and New Zealand are to join their Scottish counterparts in an international festival in the Year of Homecoming. Read full news release.
Participation in Higher Education (HE) at Scottish Institutions 2007-08
Statistics on students in Higher Education (HE) at Scottish Institutions 2007-08 have today been published by Scotland's Chief Statistician. Read full news release.
29 September 2009
Chartered Teacher Standard
Scotland's premier development programme for teachers has been given a boost following the launch of the revised Standard for Chartered Teacher. Read full news release.
School Estates Statistics, 2009
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published a range of statistics relating to core facts about the school estate in Scotland. Read full news release.
28 September 2009
Building better schools
Over 12,000 pupils across Scotland will be lifted out of poor condition schools following announcement of the first 14 secondary schools to benefit from the £1.25 billion school building programme. Read full news release.
25 September 2009
National Parenting Drive
Young children whose parents regularly speak to them have hundreds more words in their vocabulary by the age of just two, Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said as she kick-started a nationwide parenting campaign. Read full news release.
23 September 2009
Pre - School and Childcare Statistics 2009
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published Pre-school and Childcare Statistics 2009, which presents new statistics on childcare centres and childminders registered with the Care Commission, and childcare centre staff. Read full news release.
22 September 2009
SQA Examination Results in Scottish Schools 2008-09
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published statistics relating to the pre-appeal attainment of pupils in Scottish schools, at national and education authnority levels. The statistics relate to the August 2009 exam diet and present cumulative attainment figures for pupils in publicly funded secondary schools, rather than annual exam results for all examination candidates. Read full news release.
17 September 2009
Draft Scottish Budget 2010 - 2011
The Scottish Government will protect frontline services, despite having to wrestle with the first real terms cut in its budget since devolution, John Swinney said today. Read full news release.
Prisons inspector sets out priorities
Scotland's new Chief Inspector of Prisons, Brigadier Hugh Monro, CBE, has now visited all of Scotland's Prisons and is generally satisfied by what he has seen. However, he also has a number of concerns. Read full news release.
16 September 2009
Improving science education
A blueprint for improving the teaching and learning of science in Scotland's schools was launched today. Read full news release.
Labour market statistics
Labour market statistics have been published today by the Office of National Statistics which includes data relating to unemployment and employment in Scotland. Read full news release.
10 September 2009
Bannockburn school trips
Thousands of school pupils will have the opportunity to visit Bannockburn, thanks to £180,000 funding for school trips to historic sites. Read full news release.
7 September 2009
Adopt an apprentice scheme
One hundred redundant apprentices in Scotland have now been supported back into work under the Scottish Government's 'Adopt an Apprentice' scheme. Read the full news release.
31 August 2009
Cabinet Secretary visits self-heating school
Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop today visited one of the country's most sustainable schools, Acharacle Primary in Ardnamurchan. Read the full news release.
Financial and Business Services Apprenticeships Announced
Plans for 460 new financial and business services apprenticeships across Scotland were unveiled by First Minister Alex Salmond today to help boost skills and support economic recovery. Read the full news release.
17 August 2009
Funding for management apprenticeships announced
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop, today announced that she would provide funding for an extra 600 management Modern Apprenticeships.
Employers across the country will be able to receive Government support for these high value management posts. Recent evidence from Sector Skills Councils has highlighted the issue of management and leadership across many sectors, ,stating that support for management skills will help ensure companies can innovate and continue to take advantage of opportunities for growth even in the current economic climate. Read the full news release.
11 August 2009
New retail apprenticeships announced
Funding will be provided for an extra 2000 Modern Apprenticeships in the Scottish Retail sector.
Announcing the 2000 extra places at the New Look flagship store at Silverburn, Glasgow the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop said:
"This Government is committed to doing everything that we can to help people in this current economic climate and ScotAction is the Scottish Government's skills support package for providing real financial support to businesses and individuals through the recession. Read the full news release.
27 July 2009
Childcare apprenticeships
An additional 170 early years apprenticeships are to be created across Scotland, giving young people access to childcare careers.
On a visit to Cherrytrees Nursery in Melrose, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop said the apprenticeships would provide young people the opportunity to develop their skills, understanding and experience within an expanding employment sector. Read the full news release.
7 July 2009
talentmap launched
Employers can now get more comprehensive, practical help and information to boost the skills of their workforce than ever before, thanks to the launch of talentmap - a unique framework that provides a single view of the entire education, employment and skills landscape in clear, simple language. See the launch video or visit the website.
China-Scotland Post-Graduate Scheme Funding Announced
1 July 2009
The Scottish Government is to allocate £600,000 during the next two years to support a new post-graduate scheme designed to improve education links between Scotland and China for the economic benefit of both nations. Read the full News Release.
WorldSkills Competition
30 June 2009
Four young Scots have been picked for the final UK team for WorldSkills 2009, to be held in Calgary from September 1 - 7.
More than 200,000 spectators from across the world are expected to watch more than 900 competitors from 51 countries compete in a range of skills events at the competition, from bricklaying to catering.
The four Scots will be part of the 25-strong UK team. Read the full News Release.
Two for One Life Sciences Modern Apprenticeships
29 June 2009
The Scottish Government is to provide up to £3 million to support the recruitment of 100 new apprentices within the life sciences sector.
First Minister Alex Salmond revealed that life science companies will be able to recruit two apprentices for one - with the full salary costs of the second apprentice being paid by the Scottish Government. Read the full news release.
Action to Deal with Redundancy
23 June 2009
Eighteen of Scotland's key organisations and agencies joined forces today to demonstrate their support for people facing redundancy by signing the PACE Partnership Protocol.
Skills Improvement Strategy
19 June 2009
A strategy to encourage employers to improve the use of skills in the workplace was published today by the Scottish Government.
It outlines how the Scottish Government, business representatives organisations, Sector Skills Councils, the STUC, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and others will increase awareness of the relevance and benefits of better skills use and of the range of workplace practices that help increase productivity and job satisfaction. Read the full News Release.
Funding to help people find work
19 June 2009
More than 3,000 people are to benefit from £3 million of additional funding for training to help them find work.
The extra money, available through the Government's skills support package - ScotAction - will help to support individuals who have been made redundant or who are facing redundancy. Read the full news release.
Modern Apprenticeships in Health and Social Care
18 June 2009
Modern Apprenticeships in health and social care are to be more than doubled by opening them to all ages of applicants. Read the News Release.
Scottish Education Awards Ceremony
16 June 2009
The Scottish Education Awards are a celebration of the good practice and innovative developments taking place in schools across the country. They highlight best practice in Scottish classrooms, celebrate schools and acknowledge the dedicated individuals who devote their lives to helping young people fulfill their potential. Read the News Release.
Adopt an Apprentice
10 June 2009
A skills support package to help support Scotland's economy out of recession and back to economic growth was launched today.
Phase One of ScotAction - the 'Adopt An Apprentice' Scheme - where employers will be paid up to £2,000 to recruit a redundant apprentice, was launched in Edinburgh by Education and Lifelong Learning Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
Academy pupils' special salad goes on sale at M&S
The S1 pupils from Bo'ness Academy created the salad as part of a project with Bo'ness-based Caledonian Produce, one of M&S' suppliers, and Determined to Succeed, the Scottish Government's strategy to encourage enterprise in education. They were challenged to create a brand new, healthy side salad which would appeal to younger customers. Read the News Release.
£1.8 Million for Skills Projects
June 05, 2009
Businesses, organisations and individuals across Scotland will benefit from funding for skills projects announced today.
£28.1 Million for Colleges
04 June 2009
Thousands of extra college places are to be created in Scotland during the next two years, thanks to additional funding for Scotland's colleges announced today by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.
Help Through the Downturn
02 June 2009
Universities today outlined the ways in which they are helping key parts of the Scottish economy through the recession.
'Innovating Our Way out of Recession' shows how universities have responded quickly and effectively to help ease the worst effects of the recession on business, our students, graduates and wider society.
New Workplace Qualification
02 June 2009
Four employees from various parts of Scotland were congratulated by Skills Minister Keith Brown today for becoming the first people to complete a brand new qualification to promote workplace literacy and numeracy. Read the News Release for more information.
Early Years Education
20 May 2009
Teachers with specialist skills in early childhood education are to be created in Scotland by new courses which begin after the summer. Read the News Release for more information.
Learning Opportunities for Young People
13 May 2009
Young people in Scotland are to be guaranteed entitlement to a place in learning and training.
Announcing new support arrangements for young people at the Inspiring Scotland Headquarters in Edinburgh Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop said that financial support would be targeted at those who need it most.
Government Jobs for Unemployed
More Scottish Government jobs will be made available to individuals who face increased barriers to employment.
Speaking at the Welfare to Work Convention in Stirling on 29 April 09 the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop, announced that she had signed the Scottish Government's first ever Local Employment Partnership (LEP) with Jobcentre Plus. Read the news release for more information.
Support for Apprentices
28 April 2009
More than 100 individuals in Scotland are to be offered a place in a new Home Energy Apprenticeship Programme. Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop, made the announcement at the Apprenticeship Summit on 28 April.
Help for those facing redundancy
22 April 2009
Additional funding of £1.4 million for the Scottish Government's PACE initiative to help people facing redundancy was announced.
Individual Learning Accounts
20 April 2009
Changes to the Individual Learning Accounts Scotland Scheme which will be available to learners in the 2009-10 academic year mean that up to 250,000 more people can now be helped to develop their learning when changing jobs or facing redundancy. Read more in the news release.
Funding for Voluntary Organisations
14 April 2009
Minister for Schools and Skills Keith Brown announced that voluntary adult learning organisations in Scotland are to receive a share of more than £685,000 from the Scottish Government to help maintain their Scottish headquarters and support training of their own staff.
Life Sciences Apprenticeships
10 April 2009
Details of a new Modern Apprenticeship Framework for Life Sciences have been announced by Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.
Curriculum for Excellence Launch
2 April 2009
Scotland's biggest reform of its education system in a generation is now fully underway with the formal launch of guidance for teachers.
Related Link: Curriculum for Excellence
Support for Those Out of Work
1 April 2009
Read the News Release on the changes to the Training for Work programme as well as the publication of the PACE Summit Report.
Help for Disabled Students
25 March 2009
New measures to improve support for disabled students, including procedures for those who do not fall within the existing criteria for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) but may benefit from this help, have been announced by Ministers.
Success of SCQF Conference
The SCQF Partnership is delighted to announce that anecdotal feedback relating to the SCQF International Conference held at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Glasgow on 23 and 24 March 2009 has been overwhelmingly good.
Funding for Employment and Skills
20 March 2009
Education and Lifelong Learning Secretary Fiona Hyslop today announced a total of £5.6 million of European Social Funding for the Highlands and Islands aimed at supporting employability and increasing skills.
Improved Careers Support
13 March 2009
A more tailored approach to careers advice is being developed with the aim of increasing the employability of people across Scotland, it was announced as the Scottish Employers Skills Survey 2008 was published.
Help for Post-Graduate Students
11 March 2009
Universities are being invited to bid for funding for a pilot scheme which for the first time will provide support for up to 150 part-time post-graduate students in Scotland. Read the news release on this and the plans to expand the Career Development Loan Scheme in Scotland.
Cabinet Secretary's Statement to Parliament
26 February 2009
Read the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning's Skills Strategy Update Statement.
New Apprenticeships for the Creative Industries Announced
26 February 2009
Read the News Release on this and the Skills for Scotland Update.
Skills Development Scotland
The Scottish Government's Skills Strategy articulated the need for a new national skills system that is responsive to economic demand and individual need. This call to action served as the catalyst for the creation of Skills Development Scotland (SDS) on 1 April 2008.
SDS brings together Careers Scotland, Scottish University for Industry, the skills elements of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise into one organisation. SDS are working to provide a cohesive and well integrated approach to information, advice and guidance and other skills interventions for both individuals and employers in Scotland.
For more information about SDS, who they are and what they do, click here to go to their website.
UK Commission for Employment and Skills
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills was formally established on 1 April 2008. The Scottish Government has been fully involved in its creation, in determining its remit and high level responsibilities, and in the appointment of its Chair, Chief Executive and Board of Commissioners. The Scotland Commissioner who sits on the Board of the UKCES is Willy Roe, who was also appointed as the Chair of Skills Development Scotland on 1 April 2008. The Commission will:
- Develop an independent view of how employment and skills services can be improved to achieve increased employment retention and progression, skills and productivity;
- Provide advice to inform strategic policy development, analysis and exchange of good practice to drive and shape the skills and employment system to meet the needs of employers and individuals;
- Express its advice and recommendations to the highest levels of governments in the UK; and
- Manage the performance of the Sector Skills Councils and advise Ministers on their re-licensing.
The Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) closed on 31 March 2008 and some of the functions of the SSDA transfer to the UKCES, in particular, regulating and performance managing SSCs. Other functions previously carried out by the SSDA will become the responsibility of the new Alliance of Sector Skills Councils, which was also established on 1 April 2008. For more information see the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.
The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils
The Skills for Business network of 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) will remain open for business but will have a new remit. The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils will take over co-ordination of the Skills for Business network after 1 April 2008. The full extent of the Alliance's scope will develop over time, but its core purpose is to:
- Promote understanding of the role of SSCs within the skills system across the four home nations;
- Co-ordinate policy positions and strategic work on skills with stakeholders across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; and
- Help build the performance capability of the Sector Skills Councils, to ensure they continue to work effectively on the employer-driven skills agenda.
The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils will have a Scottish Council and Jack Matthews, Chief Executive of Improve, has been appointed its Chair.
Futureskills Scotland Conference
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop, launched Futureskills Scotland's conference on 4th March 2008. Sir Michael Rake, the Chair of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills also provided a keynote speech.
Conference workshops included presentations by acknowledged labour market experts on a range of issues, followed by a discussion and debate:
- Professor Ewart Keep (SKOPE) - Employers' use of recruitment and selection as a method of skills acquisition
- Michael Davis (CfE) - Fishing in the footnotes
- Professor Alan Felstead (University of Cardiff) - Up-skilling Scottish Jobs: what do the 1997-2006 skills surveys tell us?
- Professor Chris Warhurst (SCER) - Low wage work: here to stay?
- Professor David Bell (University of Stirling) - Labour market flows in Scotland
More information on the conference, including copies of the speakers' presentation slides, expert briefings and research series reports can be found here .