Education Department – Developing the Young Workforce

In December 2014 the Scottish Government published the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) – Scotland’s Youth Employment strategy. The strategy aims to bridge the gap between education and employers by providing young people with the right education, training and experience to get into fulfilling jobs and careers. The programme is now in year two of a seven year national plan which seeks to achieve changes across education, with all young people having access to a range of high quality work based learning opportunities.

What can employers offer?

You and your workforce can use your skills, knowledge and experience to enrich learning across the curriculum, and help young people to improve their understanding and readiness for employment. You can help young people directly or by engaging with the people who support and influence them, such as teachers, lecturers and parents.

Young people can benefit from your involvement at all stages of their education:

• Quality work placements, visits, or work shadowing opportunities
• Talking about careers and opportunities, current and future
• Participating in careers events
• Developing skills for applications or interviews
• Providing references and recommendations

You might also want to enter a flexible long term relationship which supports the success of a specific school in these and/or other ways.

Why be involved?

All employers, regardless of size and type, can make a valuable contribution to preparing young people for the world of work and it makes good business sense to get involved in developing your potential workforce.

Your involvement with a school may be extensive or small. What matters is that it brings mutual benefit to your business and the young people who are the workforce of tomorrow.