Latest news with #EconomyandFairWorkCommittee
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Colleges have unfinished business on the reform front
James Withers recently gave evidence at the Scottish Parliament's Economy and Fair Work Committee, and he expressed some concerns at the pace of reform and the persistence of systemic fragmentation in our post-school education and skills training system. Colleges are not benefitting from this ecosystem, but more importantly neither are learners. Change is moving very slowly when the world is moving very quickly. Andy Witty, Director of Strategic Policy and Corporate Governance for Colleges Scotland has said that there needs to be urgent action on reform in the college sector. (Image: Colleges Scotland) There was a very clear warning in the Withers Review – do not cherry pick, implement all of the recommendations – but we are now in a position, two years on, that some parts are slowly moving forwards and some parts are not. One major recommended change was the creation of a single funding body to consolidate responsibilities currently divided between the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), Skills Development Scotland (SDS), and potentially the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). This complex, fragmented and confusing funding landscape could be reformed with the upcoming Tertiary Education and Training Bill currently moving its way through the Scottish Parliament. But other recommendations remain on the proverbial shelf. Many of these would massively improve the experience of learners using colleges, and of college graduates now in the world of work. There was a recommendation for the creation of a national, lifelong digital training record. This initiative aims to chart individuals' skills development throughout their lives, connecting into a revitalised careers service, allowing Scotland's learners to track and showcase their skills and qualifications throughout their lives. There was also a recommendation to end the 'false dichotomy' between academic and vocational pathways and critically achieving "parity of esteem" across all post-school learning pathways. James Withers argues that all educational routes—whether academic, vocational, or work-based—should be valued equally, recognising that learners are diverse. We support this fully. At Committee in March, Withers also expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation, cautioning against allowing existing institutional interests to dictate the pace and direction of change. He stressed the importance of designing a system centred on the needs of learners and employers, rather than preserving the status quo. The status quo for colleges is that they are delivering a world-class service on an ever-reducing amount of funding – real-terms investment into Scotland's colleges has dropped by 17% since 2021/22. This isn't sustainable on a stand-still basis let alone while funding pressures keep rising – the vital need to support more students with additional support needs, real urgency to invest in digital infrastructure as well as physical infrastructure, and inflation pushing up education and skills training delivery costs as well as energy bills and additional employer National Insurance Contribution costs for colleges. Scotland must have the ability to adapt its post-school learning system to meet the ever-evolving demands of the economy and society. These demands are coming quicker and faster and with stronger signals of change than ever before. While the vision for a streamlined, learner-centric post-school education system has been articulated, the journey from recommendations to realisation remains incomplete - there is an urgent need for action to transform Scotland's skills landscape. Colleges are very willing to play their part in that. Andy Witty is Director of Strategic Policy and Corporate Governance for Colleges Scotland.
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
84 inquiries for projects at Grangemouth received by Government, MSPs told
The Scottish Government has received 84 inquiries about projects for Grangemouth, MSPs have been told. The refinery on the site was converted into an import terminal earlier this year, with the loss of more than 400 jobs. The decision was announced last year by owner Petroineos, citing the financial unsustainability of the facility. In response to the impending closure, the UK Government, the Scottish Government and Petroineos started work on what became known as Project Willow, a report which laid out the potential future of the site in areas such as sustainable aviation fuel. Speaking at a meeting of the Economy and Fair Work Committee in the Scottish Parliament, Jan Robertson, the Grangemouth director for Scottish Enterprise, said: 'As of today, we've had 84 inquiries and we've been working through and triaging them.' Ms Robertson told the committee there was a 'mixture of inquiries', including those interested in the site as well as some which 'have a good opportunity to become projects in the relatively near-term'. 'What I mean by that is the next three to four years,' she said. 'Our approach very much at the moment is working with those and working as closely and quickly as we can to make the progress that we want to see in Grangemouth.' Speaking later in the session, Holyrood acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said the 'door's not closed' to companies and inquiries could still be made about working at Grangemouth, adding that Petroineos had also received approaches. Ms Martin said she was hopeful for the future of Grangemouth. 'We could look back five years and start pointing fingers, but the most important thing is that in the last year – actually the last six months – Project Willow and the task force have moved things along in a way that's been swift, agile, focused,' she said. 'I am feeling so much more confident than I did this time last year in the prospects for that site.'
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
‘Crucial' skills needs will not be met unless system changes, MSPs told
The skills needed to sustain and grow the Scottish economy will not be met unless changes to the system are made, industry leaders have told MSPs. Holyrood's Economy and Fair Work Committee was told that businesses are being 'heard' but 'not being listened to' when it came to pleas for a better-skilled workforce. Paul Sheerin, chief executive of Scottish Engineering, criticised the Scottish Government for 'smashing' the work of Skills Development Scotland (SDS) into the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Ministers previously announced that responsibility for providing national training programmes, including apprenticeships, will move from SDS to the SFC. But Mr Sheerin warned that would mean efforts to fix the 'worsening' issue of a 'skills crisis' in Scotland could stall as 'our eye is off the ball' during the transition. Asked if he had confidence Scotland would meet its current need for skills, he said: 'On the current path? No.' Paul Campbell, employer engagement group chairman at the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board, also said he was 'not convinced' the current system would deliver the skills the country needs. Asked if businesses were able to influence policy around skills, Mr Sheeran said the 'current landscape for skills reforms' is 'unclear to industry'. He said: 'I think today they would say that their views might be heard, but they're not being listened to, and they're certainly not being acted on. 'From all of the feedback consultation that we've put in since the start of this Skills Review I don't think I can point to any one thing where there's been an action which has reflected the input from industry, and that's a great cause of frustration.' Scottish Financial Enterprise chief executive Sandy Begbie, who also appeared before the committee, said 'supply and demand' for skills and jobs was not being met in Scotland. He said his industry had been 'calling out for skills for years', calls which he said had become even greater following the Covid pandemic. He told the committee: 'I've always viewed this as a supply and demand, almost, equation. The supply and demand are not aligned at the moment.' He called for the Scottish Government to come up with a clear vision for skills in Scotland that would provide 'clarity' to businesses and education. 'I think that direction is hugely important and it's not what we have at the moment,' he said. Jack Norquoy, director of public affairs and communications for Scottish Renewables, said the need for skills was crucial to the energy industry, as well as the wider economy. He said: 'Industry is willing to play our part, but we do hit the challenge when it comes to the public sector, in terms of apprenticeships, in terms of our colleges as well, who are absolutely key at this.' Mr Norquoy said skills were the 'key barrier' to business but also the 'key opportunity' to grow the economy. He said the skills system must be more 'agile and responsive' which will be 'crucial' to the country's economy. He added: 'I think there is absolutely a need for the education and skills system to take into account the needs of industry better. 'There are frustrations in that regard in terms of how effectively we can input our needs into the system so that we can create, as I say, that agile and responsive, particularly in regard to colleges.'
