Skills Development Scotland Annual Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 3 December 2025
Back to Mid Argyll, Kintyre & the Islands Area Committee — 3 December 2025 and its agenda
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Skills Development Scotland Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Committee Annual Update 3 December 2025
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1. Service Delivery in Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands 1.1 School Service Offer Campbeltown Grammar, Islay High School, Lochgilphead Joint Campus and Tarbert Academy Our careers advisers work delivering career guidance to enable young people from S1-S6 to develop their Career Management Skills via a range of group work and 1-1 coaching conversations. We work closely with our partners within the school to identify young people who are considered most at risk of not making a positive progression from school. Helping those young people to develop their career management skills and move onto education, employment, or training when they leave school. For more information click this link What We Do - Scotland’s Career Service Update School Leaver Initial Destinations Follow Up • Over the school holidays we currently contacting all school leavers Campbeltown Grammar, Islay High School, Lochgilphead Joint Campus and Tarbert Academy (approx. 198) to ensure that they have secured a positive destination post leaving school and offer support to any that haven’t. • These results will be published by the Scottish Government sometime in the new year. • Please click here to see last year’s results. School leaver attainment and destinations - gov.scot 1.2 Post School Service Offer Our Next Steps service supports young people aged 16 – 18 (extended to 26 for care experienced young people) who are unemployed, helping them to build up their career management skills and move on to and sustain a range of options as appropriate. We also offer a service to any adult who wishes to develop their career management and employability skills and move into employment or support a career change. Individuals can access help at our local centres at the following locations. Campbeltown, 40 Hall Street, PA28 6BU (based within JobCentre Plus). Please contact 01586 552795 for an appointment. Islay, Islay High School, Flora Street, Bowmore, PA43 7JY. Please contact 01496 545 990 for an appointment. We also can offer virtual and telephone support if required. 2. PACE: Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) PACE is the Scottish Government’s initiative dedicated to responding to redundancy situations. Through providing skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time individuals affected by redundancy are out of work. PACE brings together 24 organisations, together with the Scottish Government to provide free and impartial advice, guidance and support for individuals affected by redundancy. Our PACE activity is co-ordinated by our Chair Pamela Little. Update • In the current quarter of the financial year, we have had limited PACE activity. However, we have offered and delivered PACE support to employees at Collies Haulage and where able to help support all individuals effected into further employment. Please contact pacenationalteam@sds.co.uk for any further information
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3.Participation Reports 3.1 School Leaver Initial Destinations Follow Up Initial school leaver destinations in Scotland refer to the first recorded activity of young people after leaving school, such as entering higher education, further education, training, employment, or being unemployed. • As noted above, we are currently contacting all school leavers (approx. 198) to ensure positive outcomes and offer support as needed. • Results will be published by the Scottish Government in the new year. • Please click here to see last year’s results. School leaver attainment and destinations - gov. scot 3.2 Annual Participation Measure The Annual Participation Measure (APM) reports on the education and employment activity of 16- to 19- year-olds in Scotland. It is the source of the Scottish government's national performance indicator “Percentage of young adults 16- to 19-year-olds participating in education, training or employment”. The APM method takes account of all status of 16- to 19-year-olds in Scotland over one calendar year from the 1st of April to the 31st of March. We report on if they are participating, not participating and unconfirmed is based on which status an individual spent to the greatest numbers of days within the year. See below the Annual Participation Measure from 2025
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For more information on the APM please use this link to Annual Participation Measure 4.Local Partnership Support SDS local teams actively support the following partnerships: • Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) – supporting employer events in schools • Local Employability Partnership (LEP) – member • Corporate Parent Board – supporting young people • Community Learning Development (CLD) Partnership Board – member • Community Justice Board – member • Community Planning Partnership – member • 5. Skills Development Scotland - National Update 5.1 Skills Reform SDS continues to advocate for changes to the learning and skills system to deliver the best outcomes for Scotland’s people and businesses. Following the Scottish Government’s Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape and the Purpose and Principles on Post-school Education, Research and Skills, a consultation was held in Summer 2024. This informed an outline business case for simplifying the post-school funding landscape, including proposals to move responsibility for apprenticeships and national training programmes to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
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The Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill was introduced in February 2025 and is currently progressing through Parliament. Subject to approval, the Bill is expected to become law in spring 2026, with changes coming into effect in March 2027. Until then, SDS will continue to deliver apprenticeships and national training programmes as usual. 5.2 Young People’s and Parents Research Our Programme of research with young people captures young people's perspectives on their career journeys across from S1 through to the post school stages of education and career transitions. It also provides evaluation evidence on the quality, value and benefits of our Career Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) Services. • Pupil Voice Senior Phase (S4-S6). This research collected feedback from nearly 11,000 pupils in 2024, providing evaluation evidence on careers services and exploring broader themes related to senior phase students' career journeys. • Young People’s Career Ambitions (1 year Post School). This research targets school leavers, focusing on their career journeys a year after leaving school. The 2024 study engaged almost 3,000 participants, exploring influences, motivations, and post school experiences. • Pupil Voice (S1-S3), a new pilot will be launched in spring 2025. This project specifically focuses on young people in S1-S3 and their career decision making process. • Parents and Carers in Scotland. In 2024 we gathered feedback from 4,000 parents and carers on awareness and satisfaction with SDS services, information sources used, awareness and perceptions of apprenticeships and confidence in having career conversations. Find Out More about Career Advice & Information Research - Click this link 6. Regional Skills Planning The latest Regional Skills Assessments (RSAs) for 2025 have been published and are now available on the Skills Development Scotland (SDS) website. These reports provide a robust and consistent evidence base to support partners in strategic skills investment planning. This year, the RSAs have been enhanced with: • Region’s People Spotlight – Population trends using Census and NRS data, including equality indicators. • Granular Forecast Data – More detailed forecasts for total requirement, presented with an intersection by both industry and occupation. Following the success of last year’s publication, an up-to-date report on Scotland’s Labour Market Drivers has been published to provide additional context. It offers a fresh overview of the key forces shaping Scotland’s labour market outlook. The RSA Summary Infographics continue to provide core measures down to local authority level in a visual format, covering the economy and current and future demand in local areas across Scotland. Additional indicators have also been added to the Data Matrix, where data is available down to the local authority level. Additional indicators include: • Real-time employer demand - Information on job postings and top occupations. • Detailed employment forecasts - By industry, occupation, and qualification. Also now published are the latest Sectoral Skills Assessments (SSAs), including a new Digital Practitioners Spotlight based on SDS research on the Digital economy.
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7. Scottish Careers Week 10th – 14th November Scottish Careers Week will take place from 10th to 14th November, delivered in partnership with a wide range of organisations supporting informed career choices across Scotland. 8. Employer Support Skills Development Scotland works directly with employers, providing trusted advice to help invest in skills, develop new talent, and grow businesses through inclusive recruitment and workforce development. • Free employer webinars are available on a range of themes. • Skills for Growth is a free service for SMEs with 5–250 employees. Find out more at our employer hub SDS Employer Hub or contacting us on 0800 783 6000 9. Local contact Susan MacRae Area Manager Argyll & Bute, Eilean Siar and Shetland susan.macrae@sds.co.uk 10. Further information skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk - Corporate Website myworldofwork.co.uk - for all your work, skills and learning needs apprenticeships.scot - for all the latest on apprenticeships