Question reference: S5W-01746
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 1 August 2016
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Current status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 24 August 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with universities and colleges in the north east regarding flexibility in entrance requirements for unemployed oil workers and what its position is on measures to allow these workers such flexibility for certain courses via the Transition Training Fund.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not directly held such discussions with academic institutions in the North East but I understand that Skills Development Scotland has met with its academic partners to discuss the Transition Training Fund (TTF).
The TTF was set up to help those at risk of redundancy from the oil and gas sector to transition into alternative employment through retraining. This can be done either through individuals applying directly for funding to support their training requirements to help secure alternative employment, or through one of a number of procured training packages being delivered by training partners.
The TTF is also supporting innovative projects such as the development of a new Initial Teacher Education programme that allows for suitably qualified individuals from the oil and gas sector to be employed while they undertake teacher training. While this is a new route to teaching, all successful applicants must meet the nationally agreed entry requirements for teaching courses. This programme has been developed by the Scottish Government in conjunction with University of Aberdeen, Skills Development Scotland, the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) and both Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Councils.
More broadly we are committed to working with the GTCS to explore options to bring further flexibility into teacher registration while ensuring that our high level of teacher professional standards are maintained.