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We are the young people of Forth Valley and we want to tell everyone how our local employers have inspired us:
Have a look at the film below which shows how our amazing local employers make a difference to us. We hope you enjoy it. Alternatively if you have an opportunity in mind that you would like to offer to education you can register on Marketplace.
This platform supports our key stakeholders to build young people’s job readiness and increases their career options. At the same time, you can help shape young talent, address skills gaps and source your future workforce. Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2020 is all about celebrating the diversity that makes work-based learning good for individuals, employers and the economy. This year’s campaign theme is ‘Talent Without Limits’, with the aim to challenge outdated and limiting views of apprenticeships and who they are for. At DYW Forth Valley, we thought it might be useful to give you the lowdown so whether you are a pupil, employer, teacher or parent/carer, read on to discover how they work, the variety available and the myths that have developed around them.  Last year there were over 28,000 Apprenticeship starts across a wide range of sectors and the whole Apprenticeship family, which includes Graduate Apprenticeships. These provide the opportunity to achieve qualifications up to the equivalent of Master’s degree level, whilst in paid employment. There has also been a growth in opportunities for school pupils in the senior phase to take up a Foundation Apprenticeship as a subject alongside their Nationals and Highers. Apprentices are employed across Scotland in a wide range of jobs in sectors including Engineering, Construction, Financial and Business Services, Health and Social Care, Digital Technology, Tourism and Food and Drink. "An FA is a great way for an employer to try before they buy. There is a talent pipeline here, in development, which employers can support with work-based learning. This is mutually beneficial because it allows them the opportunity to share their company expectations and values prior to employing them. Even if doesn’t lead directly to employment at this point, these young people have gained valuable experience and employability skills preparing them for the next step in their career journey.” Employers report a wide range of benefits from supporting pupils on Foundation Apprenticeships and from recruiting Modern and Graduate Apprentices. Click on the slideshow below for the most recent stats gathered by Skills Development Scotland. QUICKFIRE FACTS & common mythsScroll through the slideshow below to discover some quickfire facts about apprenticeships and read on to bust some of the most common myths still around today. MYTH 1: Apprenticeships are only available in manual industriesWhile this might once have been the case, apprenticeships are now available in over 1,500 occupations across 170 industries, ranging from nuclear to Fashion, Law, Banking and Defence. Follow this link to find out more about the many frameworks available within Scotland. MYTH 2: Most apprentices are menIt’s true that sectors such as Construction and Engineering still tend to be male-dominated, however this is changing. With STEM related activity a priority across Forth Valley, and Scotland in general, female pupils are being provided with more opportunities to explore these industries and understand how their skills and attributes are valued. This week DYW Forth Valley has collaborated with over 20 partners to raise awareness of the many pathways young women can access as part of the 'Women in Construction' event for #ScotAppWeek2020 and International Women's Day. MYTH 3: Apprentices Must Be Young PeopleFalse. The minimum age limit for an apprentice is 16. There is no upper age limit. myth 4: you WON’T BE EARNING AS MUCH AS GRADUATESNot necessarily true. First of all you won't be racking up student debt so there's already a massive advantage for choosing an apprenticeship over another training or education route. Secondly you are earning while you train. Three years down the line when your peers are leaving university and looking for their first professional jobs you will be further up the career path, already earning, with significantly more applied experience than them. You may even find yourself supervising them. "We really want to give young people the opportunity to develop skills with us so taking on an apprentice within this environment makes sense. Everyday is different and wildly varied in relation to the business support roles and activities they are involved in, from customer service to event management. Their experience here at the Innovation Park is a great stepping stone that could catapult them onto an amazing career path, or if we are lucky we might even get to keep them!" NEW DEVELOPMENT IN FORTH VALLEYStirling University has recently have been awarded 25 Graduate Apprenticeships in Data Science through Skills Development Scotland. These opportunities are free for businesses to access for existing or new members of staff with no geographic requirement of location for student or business. This is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to invest in their staff and future as demand for workers with specialist data skills like data scientists and data engineers has more than tripled over five years (+231%), according to a labour market analysis commissioned for Dynamics of data science skills, a new Royal Society report published in May 2019. More information about the Graduate Apprenticeship in Data Science at Stirling University can be obtained by contacting Dr Mario Kolberg (Data Science Course Director) at University of Stirling on 01786 467440 or mario.kolberg@stir.ac.uk You can find out more about Scottish Apprenticeships at www.apprenticeships.scot/scotappweek or by visiting the relevant section of our website:     If you would like any more information about how your business can support an apprentice please email us in the first instance using the button below:
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