Apprenticeship Week highlights value of vocational education

First ever Scottish Apprenticeship Week encourages companies to take on more apprentices

THE first ever Scottish Apprenticeship Week is taking place this week (5–9 September), aiming to encourage more businesses in the extractive and minerals processing industry to take on apprentices and highlight the positive impact they can have on a company.

More than 11,000 companies in Scotland across a range of sectors have already taken advantage of Skills Development Scotland’s (SDS) Apprenticeship Scheme, and further support is available for training, even against the backdrop of continuing economic uncertainty.

The Government has committed £25 million to supporting 10,000 advanced and higher-level apprenticeships in key areas of the economy, as part of a wider commitment to vocational learning.

‘We know that apprenticeships and vocational learning are cost-effective ways to impact profitability, so we’re very pleased that the Government is supporting training and increasing funding for apprenticeships,’ said Terry Watts, CEO of Proskills, the sector skills council for the process and manufacturing sector.

By highlighting the importance of training and making the extractive and minerals processing industry’s case for funding to develop the skills of the workforce, Proskills says it is helping companies prepare for a future in which skills and technical knowledge will be crucial to commercial success.

According to Mr Watts, sustaining this commitment to training will bring long-term commercial benefits. ‘Support from government will mean that investment in skills within our workforces will continue to grow, ensuring that in the future our industries are able to compete at a global level,’ he said.