View from the Street: Age agnostic apprenticeships are key to tackling Scotland’s skills shortage
Published
Aoife Hollywood
My sister, Dearbhla, left school at 16. The traditional classroom just didn’t work for her. Even with our mum– a teacher and self-proclaimed ‘homework fairy’ – on hand, Dearbhla found it hard to engage with textbook learning.
Everything changed, however, when she enrolled in a college course combining hands-on nursery experience with the theory-based knowledge needed for the job. As a kinesthetic learner, Dearbhla found her rhythm in an environment where she could learn by doing, not just reading and taking notes.
Although this was nearly 10 years ago, her experience feels more relevant than ever as discussions about Scotland’s widening skills gap continue. At first minister’s questions this week, Labour leader Anas Sarwar warned that the UK government’s planned investment in defence could be hindered by Scotland’s “outdated” skills system. He challenged John Swinney to acknowledge the need for a system “fit for the future.”
The demand for skilled workers in Scotland, particularly in technology, renewable energy, and construction trades, is growing rapidly. At the same time, sectors like healthcare and construction face the additional challenge of an ageing workforce. To meet these challenges, we must adapt how we prepare young people for employment.
At first glance, hiring young talent seems like the obvious solution, but the reality is more complicated. Only one-in-three firms hire under-25s, and just two-thirds of employers feel school leavers are “work ready”. This highlights a critical need to overhaul our approach to skills training.
Apprenticeships could play a pivotal role in addressing Scotland’s skills shortage, yet they remain underutilised. According to the latest Scottish Employer Perspectives Survey, fewer than one-in-five employers offered formal apprenticeships in 2021, with the majority hiring just a handful of apprentices. This suggests that the current system is not meeting the growing demand for skilled workers. While apprenticeships have the potential to build a sustainable talent pipeline, the limited uptake highlights the need for a fundamental reform.
Scottish Apprenticeship Week underscored the importance of apprenticeships for businesses, individuals and the wider economy, but Scotland’s approach lags behind many European nations. In Austria, nearly 40% of young people are engaged in vocational training by age 15. Adopting a similar model in Scotland could make vocational training a more viable and attractive route for young people, preparing them for skilled careers straight out of school – a policy recently proposed by the Scottish Conservatives.
Last week, the party’s leader, Russell Findlay, proposed lowering the school leaving age to allow students a “fast track” to apprenticeships or college placements. The idea sparked debate, but not exactly as Findlay intended.
Scotland’s education secretary, Jenny Gilruth, criticised the proposal, calling it “Dickensian”. She argued it would disproportionately affect working-class children, pushing them into low-skill, low-wage jobs with limited career progression. ThePlumbing and Heating Federation also opposed the plan, calling it “reckless” due to the strict regulations required for apprenticeships in safety-critical industries like plumbing.
However, Findlay’s goal was not to steer disadvantaged children away from education for quick earnings, nor to push them into high-risk work. His proposal was intended to offer more tailored educational routes for students who might not thrive in traditional academic settings – a path 15-year-old Dearbhla would have jumped at.
We need to shift society’s perception of apprenticeships. When most people think of an apprentice, they picture a teenager, but the reality is that it’s never too late to change careers or learn new skills. A friend of mine recently decided to return to a trade despite having two degrees and a successful career. This reminded me that our life paths don’t need to be set by the age of 14, 18, or 59. There’s no age limit to start something new or develop a different skill.
To address Scotland’s skills shortage, we must expand apprenticeships –not just for young people, but for older workers too. As career changes become more common, we should offer flexible apprenticeship models that support workers at every stage of their careers.
This requires reshaping funding structures to extend financial support to people of all ages and industries who need ongoing skill development. This would create more opportunities for re-skilling and ensure sectors facing talent shortages can access a diverse workforce. It’s exactly the kind of approach that might have set Dearbhla up for success earlier – and spared our mum a few late-night ‘homework fairy’ shifts.