Current status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase job opportunities for young people in rural communities.
One of the key roles of our enterprise agencies is to support job creation, through the advice and assistance they provide to businesses and projects and by attracting investment into their regions. They have a keen focus on maximising opportunities for young people.
For example, South of Scotland Enterprise is delivering a pioneering pathways project that will support young entrepreneurs to bring their business visions to life through coaching, advice and financial support. Since September 2024, the project has resulted in 409 enquiries, with 267 young people receiving place-based enterprise coaching support. To date, 41 young people on the programme have started to trade. In addition, South of Scotland Enterprise has engaged with 2100 young people at its pop up enterprise events across the South of Scotland since April 2024 (up 170% on last year).
HIE’s Graduate Placement Programme 2024-27 aims to create around 40 graduate placements in businesses and social enterprises across the Highlands and Islands, with at least 50% of the placements in remote and rural island areas.
Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Regional Groupsworks with pupils and schools across Scotland to raise awareness of the breadth of job opportunities and career pathways available, including in their local area. Young people can also access careers advice from Skills Development Scotland, which has a qualified Careers Adviser based in each secondary school in the country.
Our agencies work closely with employers, colleges, universities and training providers to strengthen training provision in growth sectors and create opportunity for work based learning with industry. Skills Development Scotland works with DYW to promote apprenticeships across each region and supports modern apprenticeship provision in island and rural areas via a Rural Uplift payment.