First Minister officially opened a new
training college in Glasgow today to mark the beginning of
Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
City Building’s new state-of-the-art training college in
Springburn will house up to 250 apprentices across a range of
disciplines, providing hands-on training opportunities in
plumbing, furniture making, decorating and joinery.
The building’s solar panels will power the entire building with
air-source heat pumps providing low-cost,
environmentally-friendly heat.
Touring the facility, the First Minister met young people who
shared their positive experiences of their apprenticeships and
heard of the work being carried out through the college, which
was constructed entirely by staff and apprentices.
The First Minister said:
“People from all backgrounds and abilities can use
apprenticeships to gain skills that will support them not only in
work, but throughout their life. At the end of last year, there
were almost 40,000 Modern Apprentices training in Scotland.
“The Scottish Government recognises the role apprenticeships play
in unlocking potential for the benefit of Scotland’s economy.
Growing our workforce is crucial, which is why we must continue
our work to increase opportunities for young people by providing
them with quality work-based training.
“Apprenticeships also support economic renewal and key
priorities, including our Net Zero ambitions. A skilled workforce
is vital to our economic growth and we want as many businesses as
possible to benefit - I would encourage all employers to find out
more about the opportunities available to them.”
Chair of Skills Development Scotland, Frank Mitchell, said:
“Designed by industry, for industry,
apprenticeships not only help the economy but also create
sustainable jobs across all parts of Scotland. These
opportunities have been taken by individuals from across society,
including many young people traditionally with restricted
opportunities to progress who have gone onto flourish in the
workplace.
“These are real jobs backed by employers who contribute £10 for
every £1 spent by government, and at the same time apprentices
contribute by paying their taxes.
“Creating a diverse and inclusive workforce through work-based
learning is benefiting employers as apprentices enable them to
adapt and sustain their business.”
Background
Scottish Apprenticeship Week
2023 runs from Monday 6 March to Friday 10 March.
Scottish Apprenticeship Week celebrates the important role that
apprenticeships have in supporting people, employers and
sustainable economic development. Businesses of all sizes are
utilising the power of apprenticeships to create opportunities
and develop critical skills needed for now and in the future.
More than 22,000 young people have been offered workplace
opportunities through the Young
Person’s Guarantee. The Scottish Government invested up to
£45 million in the Guarantee in 2022-23 and over 800 employers
have signed up to the initiative, which aims to connect
16-24-year-olds with an apprenticeship, work experience,
volunteering, internships, enterprise opportunities and
mentoring.
