Youth unemployment in Scotland on the rise DESPITE flagship SNP policy to tackle issue
THE SNP has been left red-faced after a progress report into their flagship policy to drive down Scotland’s youth unemployment level found a rise in the number of young Scots out of work last year.
Despite an 18 per cent decline in youth unemployment in the first year of the strategy, known as ‘Developing the Young Workforce’, there has been a 2.4 per cent rise in the past 12 months with around 42,000 Scottish youngsters currently out of work.
Education secretary John Swinney has claimed ministers remain on course to reach their target of cutting Scottish youth unemployment by 40 per cent by the end of the decade, despite news of the recent glitch.
In an introduction to the report, Mr Swinney wrote: “Despite a small increase in the level in the year to 2016, we remain on track to achieve our target.
“Whilst there is still more to do in taking forward the agenda, we can be encouraged by the significant progress made to date and by what we have seen first-hand in schools, colleges and with employers across the country, pulling together to give young people high-quality, work relevant learning opportunities.”
Despite a small increase in the level in the year to 2016, we remain on track to achieve our target
The Developing the Young Workforce strategy was masterminded by oil and gas industry magnate Sir Ian Wood in an attempt to curb the soaring number of unemployed youngsters after the financial crash.
In a push to encourage a more vocational approach from schools and colleges, 17 employers groups are working with educational institutions across Scotland to encourage more young people to take up Foundation Apprenticeships.
Careers advice and work placements have also been touted as ways to reduce unemployment, with careers advice being introduced much earlier across Scottish schools.
Stephanie Primrose, an education spokeswoman for local council body Cosla, said that while progress is “encouraging” there is still a long way to go.
“There is still much to be done if we are to truly transform the potential economic life of our young people. There are a number of challenges and opportunities ahead.”
The news comes after Scottish council leaders warned further cuts to local government funding will mean many Scots could face losing their jobs.
David O’Neill, the president of Cosla, said: “There were 7,000 job losses arising from the £350 million cut to Scottish councils last year.
"A further reduction in budget of similar proportions, on an already reduced base, will have even more severe consequences for job losses in councils and have a wider knock on effect for jobs within communities.
"The Scottish Government needs to remember that in many areas the council is the largest employer and therefore a cut in council jobs has a devastating knock on effect for people and local economies.”