“We have fresh impetus, with a record 25,000 Modern Apprenticeships this year and in each year of this parliament, and the 'Opportunities for All' programme, to guarantee a training or learning opportunity for every 16-19 year-old. But more needs to be done and more will be done - that is the pledge of this government, as we work together to ensure that no young person is left behind in modern Scotland.”

Angela Constance MSP, Minister for Youth Employment 
December 2011

When the Scottish Government announced their Programme for Government in September 2011, the ‘Opportunities for All’ programme which guarantees to provide every 16-19 year old in Scotland with a learning or training opportunity by the end of this financial year, it was nothing if not ambitious.  The 2012-13 Budge Bill, published in January 2012, demonstrates a financial committment to this goal by allocating resources to fund 25,000 Modern Apprenticeships and the 'Opportunities for All' programme.

So where do we start?    Read more...

Why should you attend?

This one day event will consider Modern Apprenticeships as one strand of work to address the unemployment problems, specifically the youth unemployment problems, facing Scotland today.  During the day delegates will:

• Discuss the progress made in using Apprenticeships to tackle the wider problem of a growing number of young people not in education, employment or training,  and the opportunities that still lie ahead
• Consider the support being given to young people to pursue Apprenticeship opportunities and the support being given to businesses to deliver – is there enough? What else could be done?
• Identify how to safeguard equality in the current times of austerity, with particular focus on gender, age and circumstance
• Progress discussion around how to build a sustainable future, including how employment and training initiatives could be used to fill gaps in the market, why transferable skills are key and which sectors we should be focusing on in years to come.