Sky’s not limit for your career

Ten days past was exam results day.

There will have been elation and disappointment, delight and dismay. To every single one of you I want to say “Well done!”

There are no failures, only different paths to move forward upon.

Take a look at the great Twitter page: #Nowrongpaths if you would like a bit of inspiration.

A record number of students from Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas have successfully gained a place at university according to UCAS statistics. The acceptance rate rose by 13 per cent.

That means the total number of students from Scotland getting a place at a Scottish university hit a new record of 27,830.

Within that total are 4,150 young people who come from some of Scotland’s most deprived areas.

I’ve been especially inspired by the achievements of Hamilton Grammar, St John Ogilvie and Larkhall who have all once again exceeded every expectation.

Yes, it certainly helps that these students won’t have to pay tuition fees of £9,000+ a year in their home country but it’s not just that.

Young people are becoming more determined, more aspirational.

They want to get a good career and they are ambitious about it.

I know because I talk to so many of them. I hear what they have to say. But let me stress again: whether you go to university, to a FE College, into an apprenticeship or some other form of further training, or straight into employment, future success is up to you. Ambition isn’t confined to certain careers.

The sky cannot be the limit when there are footprints on the moon!

If you want to be an astronaut, go for it. Don’t let anyone say you can’t do it if you have the skills.

Believe in yourself and in what you can achieve. You might even like to become an MSP.

Talk to me about that! It is a fantastic job.

Mhairi Black came into Westminster as the youngest MP (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) ever to win a seat.

It’s her birthday next month. She’ll have been in Parliament for more than two years as she reaches the ripe old age of 23!

The whole country is proud of the 136,000 students across Scotland who have received their results across a wide range of SQA qualifications including National 5, Highers and SQA Awards.

Higher passes have exceeded 150,000 for the third year in a row and pass rates are consistently strong.

The number of skills-based awards has more than doubled in the past five years from 24,849 in 2012 to 50,148 this year. Success comes in lots of forms and certificates.

The Snp-led Scottish Government has opened up far more opportunities for young people right across the different options.

A huge increase in the number of available apprenticeships, plus a greater emphasis on helping young people from disadvantaged areas to secure a university place is making a huge difference.

The knock-on effect is that our unemployment rate is continually falling.

That rate fell again back in March by 16,000, setting our unemployment rate at 4.7 per cent.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data also revealed that employment north of the border increased by 16,000 to 2,608,000 or 73.7 per cent, a percentage point better than in the rest of the UK.

Everyone is aware of our own UWS and my determination to keep the campus in Hamilton.

It is great news to see that UWS has won the awards of Best Student Support Team and

Research Project of the Year in The Herald Higher Education Awards 2017.

I congratulate the staff and students for this resounding success and I believe it is a fitting tribute to the skill, dedication and ingenuity of all the people involved in winning the awards.

As UWS goes from strength to strength, so too the young people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.

Remember, even the sky need not be your limit.