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PVG scheme - developing the young workforce

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Guidance on the PVG scheme and developing the young workforce.

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Land-based Teacher Training event - 19 October 2026

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Land-based Teacher Training event - 19 October 2026

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SDS Research:  Young Peoples' Career Ambitions

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SDS Research:  Young Peoples' Career Ambitions

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The Infrastructure Pathway:                         A New Curriculum for a New Generation 

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The Infrastructure Pathway:                         A New Curriculum for a New Generation 

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Overview

Join us to discover how you can get onboard and help shape the future of education, skills, and opportunity for the next generation!

The Infrastructure Pathway

You are cordially invited to attend an in-person event at Adam Smith's Panmure House.

The event will take place on October 19, 2026 at 11 AM - 1:30PM - light lunch

The Infrastructure Pathway Tickets, Monday 19 October  •  11 AM - 1:30 PM | Eventbrite

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9.15 Room opens

9.30 Welcome

Introduction: Donna McMaster - CEO Education Scotland

9.45 Updates:

Curriculum Improvement Cycle – Update (Education Scotland)

Exploring School-college partnerships for 14-18 learners in Scotland - Nuffield Foundation (Dr Stephanie Thomson - University of Aberdeen)

Foundation Apprenticeships (Abigail Kinsella, Frank Quinn (SDS), Andrew Ritchie (Aberdeenshire Council)

New Inspection Model and 16+ Team approaches (Stephen McGregor, HMIe)

Qualification Scotland – updates on qualification reform of vocational and technical qualifications in the senior phase (Emma Carey, Qualifications Scotland)

Disclosure Scotland – update (Gareth Wilks)

10.20 Screen Break

10.30 Focus input:

The Scottish Careers Collaborative – Elma Murray and James Russell

11.30   Screen break

11.35 Case Clinic: A new Skills Model for Scotland

Overview of the new proposed structure and network dialogue (Lee-Anne Murray, Qualifications Scotland);

12.00:  Close

Next meeting: 10 September '26

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Lost In Transition - An examination of why the UK NEET rate is high and rising

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Lost In Transition - An examination of why the UK NEET rate is high and rising

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An examination of why the UK NEET rate is high and rising

Executive Summary

Young people in the UK today have on average better outcomes from secondary education than many other advanced economies. Child poverty is set to fall in 2026. Yet despite positive figures such as these, there is a chronic and growing crisis for young adults in the UK as a rising share struggle to make the transition from childhood to adulthood with ease. At this critical stage of life, the paths individuals pursue can have lasting consequences on their living standards. Being in neither work nor education during young adulthood is associated with a higher likelihood of unemployment a decade later, as well as
lower earnings over the life course. And these costs are not just felt by the individual, but also by the state in the form of forgone taxes and benefits paid.

It is no surprise, then, that policy makers are so concerned about the rising share of young people today that are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Between 2011 and 2019, the proportion of 18-24-year-olds in the UK who were NEET fell from 19 to 13 per cent. (Conventional measures of NEETs are for 16-24-year-olds, but the scale of the problem and the policy responses required are quite different for under-18s, so throughout this report we focus on those aged 18-24). Since the pandemic, however, that trend has gone into reverse: in 2025, the NEET rate stood at 15 per cent, equivalent to almost 900,000 18-24-year-olds. But even if this tide were turned policy makers would have no cause for complacency: the UK's NEET rate is stubbornly high compared to our international peers, and especially the likes of the Netherlands (4.6 per cent), Denmark (8.6 per cent) and Germany (9.4 per cent) (all figures here are for
2024).

Understanding the NEET problem in the UK requires us to engage, then, with not one, but two, critical questions: why has the NEET rate risen in the UK in recent years, and why was our starting rate so high comparatively? It is only by carefully unpicking the cyclical and structural determinants of the UK's NEET rate that policy makers (including those engaged in the ongoing Milburn Review) can properly grasp the problem and develop effective and efficient policy in response.

The state of the economy explains around half of the post-pandemic rise in the NEET rate

The NEET rate is closely linked to the prevailing state of the economy: more cautious hiring on the part of employers affects those entering the labour market far more than those already in work, and young people are often last in, and therefore first out, when cuts to jobs are made. Since the end of 2019, the 25-plus unemployment rate has increased by 0.9 percentage points, which would ordinarily predict a 1.6-percentage-point increase in the NEET rate over the same time period. But the actual increase has been almost double that (2.8 percentage points). This simple decomposition suggests that just over half of the increase in the 18-24 NEET rate since 2019 is due to conditions in the overall labour market, while the rest reflects something specific to young people.

Some point the finger at labour market reforms since 2024 that have disproportionately affected youth-heavy sectors of the economy, such as changes to employer NICs from April 2025, larger increases to the minimum wage rate for younger workers in 2024 and 2025, and the Employment Rights Act (although
none of the major provisions of the last have yet to come into effect). But youth unemployment is not significantly elevated: the proportion of 18-24-year-olds who are NEET and unemployed (i.e. actively looking for work) is similar to what the historical relationship with 25-plus unemployment suggests should be the case. It is possible that a difficult labour market could cause some young people to stop looking for work (and therefore to show up as 'inactive' rather than 'unemployed'), but we find little direct evidence of this. As a result, these policy changes are unconvincing as a first-order explanation of why the NEET rate in the UK rising more than would be suggested by the wider labour market.

Broader health trends since the pandemic correspond closely with the rise in youth inactivity and incapacity benefits ...

If the post-pandemic period is not characterised by higher-thanexpected youth unemployment, we must also look beyond the availability of jobs for other xplanations of the UK's elevated NEET rate. The share of 18-24-year-olds that are inactive as opposed to unemployed has risen over the last six years, up from 7.8 per cent in 2019 to 9.1 per cent in 2025 (an increase of 16 per cent). This change is more than explained by a rising proportion of young people that are inactive due to disability or ill health, which has grown from a pre-pandemic 2.8 per cent, to 4.2 per cent today (an increase of 52 per cent).

This rise is closely mirrored by a deterioration in the health of young people, and especially mental health over the same period. Multiple sources of evidence how that the share of 18-24-yearolds with a health condition lasting 12 months or more has increased since around 2010, and the share of those saying that this limits their day-to-day activities has accelerated sharply too (by 48 per cent between 2019 and 2025). This trend is matched by a rise in the number of anti- depressant and anti-psychotic drugs prescribed to 18-24-year-olds today. Underlying health trends track very closely the rise in youth inactivity both before and since the pandemic.

The same holds true when we look at the share of 18-24-yearolds that are in receipt of health-related incapacity benefits (historically, Employment Support Allowance (ESA); today, Universal Credit Health (UCH)). Just as the proportion of young people reporting a limiting health condition has risen since 2019, so, too, has the share that receive incapacity benefits, and by a commensurate amount (52 per cent). Ill health and benefit claims have moved in sync, but we must be mindful of possible causation in both directions: in other words, from the benefits system to the share of young people who are inactive and unwell, as well as from ill health to inactivity and incapacity benefits. And changes to the benefit system in recent years may have increased the incentive to claim incapacity benefits (to supplement the low youth standard allowance, for example, or to avoid the stringent conditionalities of the UC regime).

... but a far higher share of claimants is awarded the highest rate of UC Health today

In recent years, a far larger share of claimants of incapacity benefits (of all ages; consistent data on under-25s is not available before 2019, but trends since match those for all ages) has been awarded the higher rate of ESA or UCH and placed in the limited capability for work-related activities (LCWRA) group than was the case before the pandemic (from 40 per cent in 2017 compared to 81 per cent in 2025). This shift has had significant impacts on benefit spending LCWRA comes with an additional award of £99 per week this year for existing recipients, or £50 per week for new claimants from April 2026), and also means there are increasing numbers of young people who have no engagement requirements. This is because there is no conditionality placed on those in the LCWRA group, whereas those in lower category of limited capability for work (LCW) must undertake activities to 'get ready' for work.

So, why is this the case? One obvious explanation is that there is not just a growing share of young people with limiting health problems, but that their conditions are graver than in the past. (This runs counter to the argument made by some that society medicalises 'marginal' conditions more today than it did in the past). But there are two system issues that could also have some explanatory power. First, over time, case law has become more expansive as to who should be classified as LCWRA. Second, in 2017, the then Government removed the additional element historically paid to those placed in the LCW group, and the removal of this premium could have plausibly prompted assessors to place more claimants in the LCWRA group but we find little evidence that this has taken place.

Participation in education, and not employment or young people's health, explains many OECD countries' lower NEET rates

Whatever the reasons that sit behind rising youth ill health and disability in the UK, the rates should give rise to concern. Crossnational disability comparisons can be challenging, but the most robust evidence available suggests that 15-24-year- olds in the UK have the highest rates of anxiety and depressive disorders in the OECD, around double the non-UK OECD average. But strikingly, the cross-national evidence shows that this need not translate into a high NEET rate: there is no cross-country relationship between the mental health status of young people in developed economies and the share that are not in employment, education or training. For example, young adults in the Netherlands are only slightly less likely to report anxiety disorders than young people in the UK and come second in the league table (behind the UK) on depressive symptoms, but are dramatically less likely to be NEET than their UK counterparts.

Critically, when we look across countries, it is not health or job availability that explains the UK's high NEET rates, but education. In 2024, 43 per cent of UK 18-24-year-olds were in education (including 17 per cent combining education and work), well below the OECD average of 53 per cent of 18-24-yearolds studying (including 19 per cent combining education and work). In the lowest-NEET countries, education participation is substantially higher. Indeed, among the 23 OECD countries which had a lower 18-24 NEET rate than the UK in 2024, all but two (the United States, and New Zealand) achieved this entirely by having more young people participating in education or combining education and work.

The UK provides only limited vocational education pathways for young people compared to low-NEET countries

The pathways that young people pursue in the UK are strikingly different from those in many other advanced economies. Although there is no difference in education participation at age 16 between the UK and low-NEET countries, by age 18 a considerable gap has opened up (66 per cent in the UK, compared
to 84 per cent across the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany). This gap has grown again by age 24 (21 per cent in the UK, compared to 44 per cent in those comparator countries).

But this is not a story about higher education. The UK already sends a lot of young people down the academic track: in England, for example, 45 per cent of all young people go to university. Rather, compared to countries like Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, the UK stands out for its poor vocational education
offer. In 2024, for example, just 22 per cent of 18-21-year-olds in the UK were on vocational courses, compared to 35 per cent in the low-NEET trio of the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.

Young people receiving incapacity benefits in the UK have fewer requirements and less support than in other countries

There is one other stand-out difference between the UK and many other OECD countries and that is the conditions placed on young people with health issues to engage with work or education. In 2025, 84 per cent of young people in receipt of UCH in the UK had no requirements placed on them to undertake 'work-readying' activities such as volunteering, study or employment preparation. This contrasts starkly with practice in low-NEET countries where a 'no engagement' approach is usually a last resort after training, rehabilitation and subsidised employment options have been exhausted.

However, more extensive requirements on young people to engage with the system should go hand-in-hand with quality employment support, in the form of more training, rehabilitation or even employer subsidies. Historically, the UK has spent far less on provision of this type than low-NEET countries, but differences in those forms of support can account for 30 per cent of the variation in 18-24 NEET rates between OECD countries. And when we look at low-NEET countries like Germany and Denmark, the level of support they provide to young people to smooth their transition into the world of work is liberal.

The UK needs a wholesale policy response to bring our NEET rate down

The scale of the NEET challenge among young people is both substantial and deeply entrenched, with most affected individuals facing significant barriers to re-engagement in work or education. Around five-in-six (84 per cent) of NEETs aged 18-24-years-old - a far higher share than among young people overall - experience at least one disadvantage such as low qualifications, disability, or long-term disengagement and over half face multiple overlapping challenges. This suggests that simple, single-issue interventions are unlikely to succeed; instead, the problem requires a broad, holistic response that reflects the depth and diversity of barriers young people face.

In particular, the analysis in this report points strongly to a need for action across health, education and benefits:

Improving the health of young people. Whatever its cause, the deterioration in the health of young people can fully explain the UK's elevated NEET rate elative to the wider economy. Improving mental health provision in schools and colleges, for example, could reduce the numbers becoming NEET in future.

Keeping young people in education for longer. Almost all countries which achieve a lower NEET rate than the UK do so through more education, not more work. The mandatory participation age should be properly monitored and enforced for 16-17-year-olds, and vocational pathways should be improved. At least two-thirds of the Growth and Skills Levy funding should be restricted to under-25s.

Reforming the work support and requirements for young people. A growing number of young people are subject to no work requirements when claiming incapacity benefits, a feature of the social security system that is not shared by countries with lower NEET rates. The majority of young people in receipt of UCH should have tailored engagement requirements, and the support of a permanent programme of youth support which is also open to those not on benefits, which goes beyond employment and skills to address other barriers, such as mental health and housing.

All of the above will come with a price tag and there are clearly tough choices to be made about where to prioritise spending. But this report shows that there are no simple, quick or cheap fixes for a problems as entrenched as NEETs. And the prize is large: if the UK had the same NEET rate as the Netherlands today, we would have 600,000 fewer 18-24-year-olds lost in transition. Instead, they would be learning and earning to the betterment of themselves, the public finances and wider society too.

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An examination of why the UK NEET rate is high and rising Executive Summary Young people in the UK today have on average better outcomes from secondary education than many other advanced economies. Child poverty is set to fall in 2026.

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2024-25 School leaver follow-up destinations

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2024-25 School leaver follow-up destinations

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2024-25 School leaver follow-up destinations

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An Accredited Official Statistics publication for Scotland

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"Inside the Mind of a Young NEET" - Report on Barriers and Hurdles to Youth Employment. 

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"Inside the Mind of a Young NEET" - Report on Barriers and Hurdles to Youth Employment. 

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We are excited to share our proposal for a new ‘universal’ National Skills Model designed to support lifelong learning. This model aims to provide clear, consistent, and accessible language that resonates across the diverse sectors, skills, and standards frameworks that children, adults, learners, apprentices, and professionals engage with throughout their education and careers.

We believe the straw man model lays a strong foundation for further engagement and refinement. To ensure this model truly meets the needs of everyone involved, your feedback is vital. We would greatly appreciate it if you could review the proposed model and share your thoughts by completing this online consultation.

Please note that the deadline for submitting your input is noon on Friday, 12th June. Your participation will be instrumental in shaping a model that benefits learners and professionals across Scotland.

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Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

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The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

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Occupational Standards as a Continuum - Andrew Ritchie

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Occupational Standards as a Continuum - Andrew Ritchie

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Occupational Standards Key to Education Reform in Scotland | Andrew Ritchie posted on the topic | LinkedIn

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Really interesting overview of national occupational standards in the system Jonathan Clark - completely agree that OS should be central to education reform and they are the key to delivering systemic ‘parity of esteem’ between the academic and the professional/technical/vocational learning. The crucial role of the NOS/SVQ in the system (especially in the Foundation Apprenticeships) should not be lost in the wider education reform discussions. Across Scotland we need to understand that Occupational Standards need to be seen as a ‘continuum’ and not something that starts post school. Our Foundation Apprenticeships - Aberdeenshire Council data clearly shows it is the formal assessment of the NOS/SVQ through a workplacement that is making the difference. Andreas SCHLEICHER from OECD highlights that apprenticeship type learning and project-based learning should be more prevalent in school right down to Early Years learning. “We always learn from and with people. Learning is about coaching, mentoring, learning from and with each other in a very open environment with very good feedback mechanisms.” The importance of Scotland’s Foundation Apprenticeships in achieving this cannot be underestimated.

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Qualifications Reform - Consultation:  Overview

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Qualifications Reform - Consultation:  Overview

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SQA is looking for learners, parents and carers, and educators willing to give their views on a range of issues.

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Aberdeenshire FA statistics for 2025/26:

Aberdeenshire’s FAs 2025–26- Increased attendance, engagement, confidence and wellbeing

Aberdeenshire’s FAs 2025–26- Parental Feedback Overview

Aberdeenshire’s FAs 2025–26- Parental Feedback on Behaviour

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Minister response to partners on FAs (March 2026)

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Minister response to partners on FAs (March 2026)

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CIC - Focus:  Opportunities for Personal Achievements

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CIC - Focus:  Opportunities for Personal Achievements

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The Curriculum Improvement Cycle – Focus on Opportunities for Personal Achievement | Education Scotland podcast

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Education Scotland is leading a systematic review of the Scottish curriculum called the Curriculum Improvement Cycle. This podcast episode focuses on opportunities for personal achievement. Listen as Education Scotland’s Graeme Wallace and Nicola Crawford provide an insight into this work so far. Visit our Curriculum Improvement Cycle blog to find out more.

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Young People and Work: Independent Report - DWP (Milburn Report)

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Young People and Work: Independent Report - DWP (Milburn Report)

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What are the enablers that ensure careers education becomes a

universal experience in schools?

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Timeline for Development and Implementation:

he intention is that the draft new school framework will be launched in January 2027.

HMIE aim for this framework to be digital, enabling updates to be made more easily, and to enable links to relevant national policy and guidance to be included.

Pilot inspections to test the new framework will take place in spring 2027 to ensure that the content supports self-evaluation and inspection.

Pilot inspections to try out new methodology using the new framework will take place from the summer term 2027 and into session 2027/28. Depending on the outcome of the pilots, the intention is that the new framework and model will be used for all school inspections from January 2028.

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Scottish Careers Collaborative:  Introductory Slides

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Scottish Careers Collaborative:  Introductory Slides

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How does the concept in the model land with you?

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SRUC Survey: Wildlife and Conservation Management qualifications

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SRUC Survey: Wildlife and Conservation Management qualifications

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At Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), we offer a range of wildlife and conservation courses to support you at every stage of your learning journey, from entry level qualifications right through to Master’s study. At the moment, you can study: • BSc (Hons) Wildlife and Conservation Management (full time, campus based – 4 years) • HNC and HND Wildlife and Conservation Management (full time, campus based) • HNC Wildlife and Conservation Management (part time distance learning) • MSc Wildlife and Conservation Management (part time distance learning – 3 years) We are currently looking ahead and thinking about how we can develop our wildlife and conservation degrees to make sure they reflect what the sector needs, and just as importantly, what students are looking for. We want our courses to be practical, relevant, and focused on building strong technical and ecological skills. That’s where you come in. We’d really value your thoughts as a prospective student. Your feedback will help shape what the course looks like, how it’s taught, and how it fits around different study preferences and career goals. The survey should take around 5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous, treated in confidence, and will be used directly to inform future course design. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your views. Courses under review https://www.sruc.ac.uk/course-catalogue/wildlife-and-conservation-management/bsc-hons-wildlife-and-conservation-management/ https://www.sruc.ac.uk/course-catalogue/wildlife-and-conservation-management/msc-wildlife-and-conservation-management-distance-learning/

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SRUC Wildlife and Conservation Management Market Research | Jisc Online Surveys

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Jisc Online surveys is a powerful, easy to use tool for creating online surveys. Run by Jisc, online surveys is used by over 300 different organisations in the UK…

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Q1

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Academy9, Transport Scotland’s award winning educational initiative has published an online platform ‘Engineer Your Future’ which aims to inspire and support senior secondary pupils into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers by using the A9 Dualling programme as a case study.

More resources under: Educator – Academy9

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Updates - Transcript notes from 12 March 26

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Updates - Transcript notes from 12 March 26

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9.15 Room opens

9.30 Welcome

9.35 Updates:

Curriculum Improvement Cycle – Update (Education Scotland)

Digital Skills Framework for schools (Debbie McCutcheon and Roz Denham SDS) (5 mins)

Discolsure Scotland:  Revised PVG Guidance – Gareth Wilks (15 mins)

DYW – updated Employer Network Website (Michelle Fenwick)

Youth employment and leavers statistics (positive destinations)  - SG Data Analytics Team (tbc – Shumirai Mhonda-kapora)

Scottish Careers Collaborative: Updated (Elma Murray)

Foundation Apprenticeships: Revised Principles (Frank Quinn, SDS)

Pathways into the Medical Profession - Updates (Jo Haddrick, NHS Scotland)

10.25 Screen Break

10.35 Focus inputs:

FI 1:

Technical Vocation Qualifications statistics for AY 25/26 and development of future of qualifications (Emma Carey / Alasdair Smith)

FI 2:

CIC – Consultation on Draft National Practice Guidance:  Careers & pathways context (Klaus Mayer)

11.20   Screen break

11.25

FI 3:

SDS Data: Young Peoples' Career Ambitions Research & Q&A

12.00:  Close

Next meeting: 8 December '26

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Land-based Education - Teacher CLPL - The King's Foundation

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Land-based Education - Teacher CLPL - The King's Foundation

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Venue: MacRobert Farming and Rural Skills Centre

Dates: August 2026 & June 2027

For more information email dh.education@kings-foundation.org

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I would like to join a separate session on qualifications reform: 

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I would like to join a separate session on qualifications reform: 

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Hi all, just adding this update here that DYW have launched a resource hub for Cyber Professionals engaging in education - the off the shelf resources, collated in one space and mapped to different ages and stages, will hopefully help the network when engaging with industry. These resources can also be used by educators. https://www.dyw.scot/cyber-security-activities.html

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Contacts: Lisa.Scott@scotborders.gov.uk;

Stacey.Grieve@scotborders.gov.uk

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Disclosure Scotland draft guidance update - for comment

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Disclosure Scotland draft guidance update - for comment

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Tracked changes represent proposed amendments to existing published guidance (page 16) to clarify position on DofE and Foundation Apprenticeships.

This text does not yet reflect feedback received. Comments can be sent to gareth.wilks@disclosurescotland.gov.scot & stewart.rafferty@disclosurescotland.gov.scot.

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Leaver attainment and initial destinations 2024-25 update slides

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Leaver attainment and initial destinations 2024-25 update slides

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Hawick High School: Textile Training Programme 

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Hawick High School: Textile Training Programme 

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Hawick High School: Employer Partnership Board (proposal) 

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Hawick High School: Employer Partnership Board (proposal) 

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Hawick High School: Skills Academy Proposal.

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Hawick High School: Skills Academy Proposal.

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Find out more about our SCQF level 5 and 6 Creative Innovation and Creative Innovation Qualification

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Now you can get credit for completing Daydream Believers projects! We currently support Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework at level 5 and 6 (24 points). To enrol your students, for more information, or to help us create a qualification for your country, please email us.

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Land-based & Aquaculture Learning Pathways:  Overview Presentation

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Land-based & Aquaculture Learning Pathways:  Overview Presentation

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The Scottish Apprenticeships Working for Scotland publication shares data and insight around apprenticeships to demonstrate how they are creating careers, building businesses, growing the workforce and delivering returns for the economy.

The publication features the latest SDS Apprentice Voice results, apprentice employer insight and labour market research.

To reinforce the quality of the apprenticeship offer and their delivery, the publication also sets out how SDS draws from a range of external and operational evidence, data and insight to deliver apprenticeships.

It also explains the employer led approach to development of apprenticeships, to ensure that apprenticeship standards and frameworks are more agile and responsive to reflect what work looks like today and in the future.

The publication is a valuable tool to share with partners, employers and politicians to help explain the strength and value of the apprenticeship offer in Scotland.

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Thinking about the current and future needs of local employers, how well do our vocational and technical qualifications meet those demands?

What are the biggest skills gaps you see?

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We're placing the learner voice at the heart of our reform work. With that in mind, what one thing might we do that would have the greatest positive impact for the learner quoted above?

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From your perspective, what key features would make a vocational and technical qualification more appealing and relevant to young people?

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When asked what they would change about the existing SfW provision, External Verifiers suggested that any change to this provision be minimal. Does that resonate with your experience?

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Are NPAs and SfW considered to be vocational in the centres you are involved with?

Are learners getting the right experiences from these qualifications?

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Do you feel that Awards, NPAs, and Skills for Work are well-understood by learners, parents and employers?

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Are the vision and objectives meaningful and easily understood?

How do they stand up against the following criteria?

•Ambition

•Relevance

•Motivating

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CIC - Employer conversations:  Emerging key messages 

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CIC - Employer conversations:  Emerging key messages 

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Land-based & Aquaculture Learning Pathways:  Update Paper on Rec 2.1 Land-based Learning Review

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Land-based & Aquaculture Learning Pathways:  Update Paper on Rec 2.1 Land-based Learning Review

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An action research project for educators who directly advise applicants to medical schools in remote rural schools.

Slides from launch webinar

School Opt In Form

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Latest Youth Employment Statistics (PwC):

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Latest Youth Employment Statistics (PwC):

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Gatsby Discussion Paper:  Towards a Skills First Scotland

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Gatsby Discussion Paper:  Towards a Skills First Scotland

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artificial intelligence and education and skills

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The OECD Career Readiness project is designed to provide new advice to governments, schools, employers and other stakeholders on how to best prepare young people to compete in an ever-changing labour market.

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Edge Foundation:  Aberdeenshire Council's Foundation Apprenticeship model

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Edge Foundation:  Aberdeenshire Council's Foundation Apprenticeship model

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9.15 Room opens

9.30 Welcome

9.35 Focus inputs:

SDS research outcomes: Pupil voice on the perception of skills and careers (Pat Watt & Debbie Pavia) - 25 mins;

Discussion:  Qualifications Reform (Emma Carey, Marisa Farrell) Qualifications Scotland/SQA) - 30 mins;

10.30   Screen break (5 mins)

10.35  Workshop:

Curriculum Improvement Cycle updates and discussions

Careers and Pathways across the Curriculum – DYW/Employer perspectives (Education Scotland - Lise Mccaffery, Leigh Watson, Klaus Mayer)

11.20 Screen break (10 mins)

11.30 Updates:

Profiling Tool – updates:  Local authority dashboard (Derek Hawthorne, SDS)

HMIe:  Future of School Inspections – John Laird (HMIe)

Disclosure Scotland – Stewart Rafferty (Disclosure Scotland)

12.00:  Close

Please note:  Diary holds for the academic year 2026 will be sent after this meeting.

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Scottish Apprenticeships:  Statistics and Facts

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Scottish Apprenticeships:  Statistics and Facts

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Scottish Apprenticeships - stats and facts

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Browse these statistics, facts and examples that show us why Scottish Apprenticeships are Working for Scotland.

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Curriculum Improvement Cycle work - DYW National Leads Network Consultation:  Collated feedback

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Curriculum Improvement Cycle work - DYW National Leads Network Consultation:  Collated feedback

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Careers & Pathways: Rational & Big Ideas

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Careers & Pathways: Rational & Big Ideas

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What does your journey into finance look like?

Financial services are all about people. No matter what stage you’re at in your education or your career, our sector offers opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. It’s all about skills!

Any questions or feedback on the resource please contact Sara Votta <svotta@sfe.org.uk>

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getinto.finance – Skills and careers hub for financial services in Scotland

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Financial services are all about people. No matter what stage you’re at in your education or your career, our sector offers opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. It’s all about skills!

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Learner Profile and Achievements Dashboard:  Local Authority Guide

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Learner Profile and Achievements Dashboard:  Local Authority Guide

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Learner Profile and Achievements Dashboard:  School Guide

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Learner Profile and Achievements Dashboard:  School Guide

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This our new resource for BGE that supports project based learning, meta skills and AI.

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Ever dreamed of designing your own trainer? Imagine your learners creating a generation sneaker that captures their identity, culture, and values. With Threads, they dive into research, sketch bold ideas, prototype with purpose, and use AI tools to bring their vision to life. It all builds to a class exhibition, a striking showcase of designs that speak for their generation.

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OECD: The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation

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OECD: The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation

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This paper focuses on eight key questions to which PISA data provides often uncomfortable answers:

1. Rapidly growing numbers of students are uncertain about their career plans....................................

2. Students’ job plans focus on a small number of predominantly professional occupations .........

3. Many students are confused about what they need to do to achieve their career plans.

4. Overwhelmingly, social background is a stronger determinant of plans for tertiary

education ...........

5. Too few students are participating in career development activities ......................

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'Towards a Skills First Scotland' - paper (Gatsby Foundation)

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'Towards a Skills First Scotland' - paper (Gatsby Foundation)

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The paper outlines a framework for reform based on five key pillars: making work the central purpose, aligning the skills system to economic priorities, employer-led skills development, rebuilding colleges as enablers of opportunity and a flexible skills system

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 School Inspection Consultation (close: Wed, 26 Nov 25)

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 School Inspection Consultation (close: Wed, 26 Nov 25)

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Submit responses to the School Inspection Consultation: schoolinspectionconsultation@educationscotland.gov.scot

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Young Agri Leader course @ Wallace Hall Academy

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Young Agri Leader course @ Wallace Hall Academy

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BBC News item on this course: New Higher course for budding farming leaders - BBC News

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Vocational & Technical Qualifications 2025:  SQA update

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Vocational & Technical Qualifications 2025:  SQA update

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Positive & Sustained Destinations:  Inspection findings - HMIe

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Positive & Sustained Destinations:  Inspection findings - HMIe

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Positive and Sustained Destinations:  Data and exemplification - Scottish Government

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Positive and Sustained Destinations:  Data and exemplification - Scottish Government

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Cabinet Secretary for Education: DYW Message

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Cabinet Secretary for Education: DYW Message

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JG - Pre-Record DYW Leads - 030925

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A school's approach to supporting young people into positive destinations

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SDS Education team Professional Learning offer

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SDS Education team Professional Learning offer

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SDS Education Team Professional Learning 2025-2026

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Our professional learning offer is designed to support educators in deepening their understanding of career education and its value to both learners and practitioners.

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Future of School Inspections - Public Consultation now open!

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Future of School Inspections - Public Consultation now open!

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Please direct any specific questions on the consultation to: John Laird (John.Laird@educationscotland.gove.scot ) or Stephen McGregor ( Stephen.McGregor@educationscotland.gov.scot )

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Public consultation launched on the future of school inspections in Scotland

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Education Scotland is a Scottish Government executive agency responsible for supporting quality and improvement in Scottish education.

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Land-based and Aquaculture Learning Pathways - Practitioner consultation:  Summary Paper

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Land-based and Aquaculture Learning Pathways - Practitioner consultation:  Summary Paper

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Land-based and aquaculture learning pathways - stakeholder and practitioner consultation  V3.docx

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Positive, sustained leavers destinations:  Third sector Partnership

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Positive, sustained leavers destinations:  Third sector Partnership

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We are a charity that gives young people structure and support to start their working lives.

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Education Scotland - Engaging Young People in Learning & Teaching

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Education Scotland - Engaging Young People in Learning & Teaching

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Spotlight on looking beyond school attendance and engagement

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Positive, sustained destinations: Workshops 

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Positive, sustained destinations: Workshops 

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Room 1: Castlemilk High School - a School's Approach to Supporting Young People into Positive Destinations

Room 2: HMIe - Insights from School Inspections

Room 3: Partnership working with Third Sector Organisations 1: MCR Pathways

Room 4: Partnership working with Third Sector Organisations 2: Working Rite

Room 5: Mental Health and Young People Transitions into employment - Public Health Scotland:

In this workshop we will briefly outline how our prevention approach to public health, and particularly mental health, has led to a programme of work around economic inactivity. We'll share some of the learning that's starting to emerge. Then we'll move on to a group discussion that focuses on the support young people with lived / living experience of poor mental health need to help with the transition from school to sustainable good work.

Room 6: Career Ready

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School inspections are changing: shape what’s next. Consultation:  Now open! 

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School inspections are changing: shape what’s next. Consultation:  Now open! 

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School inspections are changing: shape what’s next

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Education Scotland is a Scottish Government executive agency responsible for supporting quality and improvement in Scottish education.

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Exploring school-college partnerships for 14-18 learners in Scotland - Nuffield Foundation (Dr Stephanie Thomson - University of Aberdeen)

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Exploring school-college partnerships for 14-18 learners in Scotland - Nuffield Foundation (Dr Stephanie Thomson - University of Aberdeen)

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Exploring school-college partnerships for 14-18 learners in Scotland - Nuffield Foundation

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This project will investigate school-college partnerships which offer the opportunity for students in Scotland aged 14-18.

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9.15  Meeting room opens

9.30   Updates:

Education Reform: Curriculum Improvement Cycle: ‘Working Together to Make Change Happen’ – the development of a technical framework - Leigh Watson (Education Scotland)

SDS Updates - Tom Harley (SDS)

Updating School Inspections - John Laird (ES - HMIe)

Career Collaborative & Support: Developments - Elspeth Hough (DYW Scottish Government)

Exploring school-college partnerships for 14 - 18 learners in Scotland: Research - Dr Stephanie Thomson (University of Aberdeen)

10.20 Break

10.30  Focus session:

Land-based and Aquaculture Learning Pathways: Stakeholder consultation

Background:

Education Scotland and Scottish Government are reviewing the current evidence of land-based and aquaculture learning pathways as previously outlined in the Commission for the Land-based Leaning Review – Report to Ministers.

Our particular focus is the review of Recommendation 2.1 of the report which focuses on land-based and aquaculture learning pathways in the senior phase:

“Identify ways to support an increase in Sector school/college partnership learning pathways, offered and undertaken by schools”

Since the publication of the report in January 2024, significant educational and economic developments will have impacted on the progression of recommendations outlined in the report. In order to ascertain developments in this area, we are currently reviewing key information and data outline in section 4 of the report, with a wider view on pathways beyond the senior phase into further and higher education.

Objective:

By considering current practice, we seek the views of the network on:

What is currently working well around the development/delivery of land-based and aquaculture learning pathways and why?

What new work on developing land-based and aquaculture pathways should we add to that identified in the review?

What challenges, solutions and opportunities can we collectively identify?

Key findings of this exercise will feed into an update paper on recommendation 2.1.

Format

10.30 – Setting the Scene:

Louise Hellyer - Senior Policy Advisor (SG, Rural Skills & Land Use)

Presentation from key stakeholders: Lantra, SQA, NatureScot, SDS, Aberdeenshire Council;

11.15 – Group discussions:

What is currently working well around the development/delivery of land-based and aquaculture learning pathways and why?

What new work on developing land-based and aquaculture pathways should we add to that identified in the review?

What challenges, solutions and opportunities can we collectively identify?

11.45:  Plenary - feedback from discussion groups

12.00 (approx.)   Close

Next DYW Leads Network Meeting: Tuesday, 16 September '25, 9.30 – 12.00.

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Please add any further comments on the above questions here:

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Land-based and Aquaculture Learning Pathways exemplification:  Aberdeenshire Council

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Land-based and Aquaculture Learning Pathways exemplification:  Aberdeenshire Council

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View the interactive image by Tila McDonald

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Join Cairngorms Connect and friends for a day celebrating and exploring local forests and enjoying delicious local food.

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SCP research project preliminary findings

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SCP research project preliminary findings

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SDS Input for Land based and Aquaculture focus session

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SDS Input for Land based and Aquaculture focus session

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DYW Leads - Land Based and Aquaculture Focus Session - SDS input - 5th June 

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DYW Leads meeting - SDS update - 5th June 2025