£10 million investment to grow skills in defence sector.
Innovation Minister Alyn has confirmed £10 million investment
to develop two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges (DTECs) for
Scotland.
Plans are underway to allocate sites in the east and west of the
country to support the development of skills for well-paid
careers in areas such as defence engineering, advanced
manufacturing and maritime technology.
Along with Economy Secretary , Mr has today written to Minister for
Defence Readiness and Industry and Secretary of State for
Scotland , to confirm the Scottish
Government will match UK Government funding needed to underpin
future industrial growth and competitiveness.
Mr said:
Scotland is well placed to seize the opportunities arising out of
the defence industry - with a highly skilled workforce,
world-class colleges and universities and internationally
recognised manufacturing. DTECs will allow workers to upskill and
connect the next generation to opportunities in sectors where
demand for a highly-skilled workforce is rising rapidly.
I am pleased to confirm we will partner with the UK Government to
develop plans for DTECs in Scotland and build on the £3.7 billion
to Scotland's economy provided by the defence sector.
Our Programme for Government committed to establishing a
responsible defence industrial growth programme to maximise the
economic opportunities arising from increased defence
spending. We will work with partners to ensure our workers
are equipped with the right skills for emerging jobs in this
vital sector.
Background
Consultation will be held to understand which colleges can
achieve DTEC status and how to implement this.
