Question reference: S6W-18100
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 19 May 2023
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Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 June 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a full appraisal of the Scottish Funding Council's Upskilling Fund, from its inception in 2019, including details on (a) uptake, (b) type of learner, (c) level of qualification, (d) the (i) hours and (ii) credits of learning provided and (e) any employer engagement.
Answer
All data is provided by the Scottish Funding Council. Details are as follows:
(a) Uptake
A summary of enrolments for all courses in each of the academic years (AY) since 2019-20 is as follows:-
19-20 – 4,041 enrolments
20-21 – 7,056 enrolments
21-22 – 7,144 enrolments
(b) Type of learner
Data on type of learner is not complete due to reductions in reporting requirements during Covid for 2019-20 and due to limitations in Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) reporting which covers students studying for a qualification or credit at HE level only.
The data included below has been recorded in the HESA returns for 2020-21 and 2021-22, with the caveat that this is not a complete dataset.
The following table has been taken from HESA returns
Sex | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | ||
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % | |
Male | 2,270 | 37.4% | 3,080 | 39.5% |
Female | 3,770 | 62.1% | 4,685 | 60.0% |
Other | 30 | 0.5% | 40 | 0.5% |
Total | 6,065 | 100% | 7,805 | 100% |
Age | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | ||
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % | |
20 and under | 145 | 2.4% | 270 | 3.4% |
21 to 29 yrs | 1,640 | 27.0% | 1,665 | 21.3% |
30 and above | 4,280 | 70.6% | 5,870 | 75.2% |
Total | 6,065 | 100% | 7,805 | 100% |
Ethnicity | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | ||
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % | |
White | 5,020 | 82.7% | 6,405 | 82.1% |
BME | 675 | 11.1% | 860 | 11.0% |
Ethnicity Not Known | 375 | 6.2% | 540 | 6.9% |
Total | 6,065 | 100% | 7,805 | 100% |
Disability status | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | ||
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % | |
Has a Disability | 645 | 10.6% | 890 | 11.4% |
No Known Disability | 5,425 | 89.4% | 6,915 | 88.6% |
Total | 6,065 | 100% | 7,805 | 100% |
Deprivation status | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | ||
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % | |
MD20 | 580 | 10.0% | 720 | 9.7% |
Other | 5,170 | 89.2% | 6,620 | 89.3% |
Not Known | 50 | 0.9% | 70 | 1.0% |
Total | 5,800 | 100% | 7,410 | 100% |
Level of qualification or credit obtained on Upskilling course | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | ||
Enrolments | % | Enrolments | % | |
SCQF L11 | 295 | 29.9% | 2,635 | 77.3% |
SCQF L10 | 500 | 50.6% | 325 | 9.6% |
SCQF L9 | 155 | 15.6% | 245 | 7.2% |
SCQF L8 | 5 | 0.7% | 95 | 2.8% |
SCQF L7 | 30 | 3.1% | 110 | 3.2% |
Total | 985 | 100% | 3,410 | 100% |
For the purposes of data protection the figures for enrolments and qualifications have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 5.The percentages are based on unrounded figures.
(c) Level of qualification or credit
The Upskilling Fund supports SCQF levels 7-11
(d) The (i) hours The University Upskilling Fund Guidance stipulates that provision should be shorter in duration – usually significantly shorter – than a full AY.
And (ii) credits of learning provided.
Guidance states that courses/provision should normally be credit-bearing and have some form of appropriate assessment built-in. However, this is not a necessary eligibility criterion and is at the university’s discretion, based on the nature of the particular course/ provision and the needs of students.
(e) Any employer engagement
Universities are strengthening their relationships with employers as they use their employer groups and networks and trade body partnerships in the design of programmes and in the recruitment of learners.