‘Use funds to improve skills’

Education: FSB wants to spend money on vocational development academies

A leading business group has called for funds heading to Scotland from the UK Government’s apprenticeship levy to be spent on vocational skills academies.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which has about 19,000 members north of the border, said yesterday the move would boost industry by addressing skills shortages and giving fresh options to people for whom long college or university courses are not suitable.

From April 2017, employers with a wage bill of more than £3million will pay an apprenticeship levy. It is aimed at funding new apprenticeships across the UK.

It is estimated he Scottish Government will receive a share of about £3billion expected to be raised annually by the levy.

FSB said at least £100million of the total was likely to end up north of the border.

In a submission made to Holyrood ministers, the business group urged them to use some of the cash to “honour their manifesto commitment to look at expanding skills academies”.

Andy Willox, FSB’s Aberdeen-based Scottish policy convenor, said: “Skills

“The academy model offers new options for employers”

shortages still present a real problem for smaller firms who can find key specialist staff poached by larger competitors.

“The academy model offers new options for both employers and those looking to develop vocational skills.

“These institutions would reach agreement with employers about the skills they need and, in turn, guarantee opportunities for a proportion of the intake.”

Last October, Deputy First Minister John Swinney launched CodeClan – Scotland’s first skills academy, offering intensive 16-week software development courses, accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, to support the digital economy.

FSB is now suggesting the industry-led CodeClan model could be rolled out to other sectors such as energy, brewing, data-science or specialist engineering.

Mr Willox said: “With a little bit of imagination and co-operation between industry and education, I’ve no doubt we can make the vocational academy model work on a larger scale.”

A Scottish Government consultation on how funding from the apprenticeship levy should be used north of the border ended yesterday.

Aspokesmanfor theSNP administration said: “Employers of all sizeshavesubmitted their views and their input will be crucial in delivering our ambitions for inclusive economic growth.

“We will be considering the responses swiftly to ensure arrangements are in place to use the levy as soon as possible.”

NEW DIRECTION: Andy Willox thinks an academy model would benefit employers and potential employees