Skills Strategy

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 3:49 pm on 28 January 2010.

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Photo of Marilyn Livingstone Marilyn Livingstone Labour 3:49, 28 January 2010

We all agree that, if we are to compete successfully in this challenging economic climate and ensure that we are well equipped to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented by economic recovery, Scotland needs an increasingly skilled population. There is no argument in the Parliament about that. To achieve it, we need a fit-for-purpose skills strategy. My colleague David Whitton's amendment seeks that and I hope that members will support it at 5 o'clock. We need an updated strategy to meet the needs of Scotland's economy. It is vital in the short term, but it will be just as crucial as we move from the recession to recovery.

Scotland's 43 colleges of further and higher education are crucial to delivering the skills, knowledge and training that we need to ensure that Scotland can compete at the cutting edge and that people have the skills that they need to work and live. I was pleased to hear the minister acknowledge the role of Scotland's colleges this afternoon. In 2007-08, students in the college sector studied for more than 348,000 work-related qualifications. The vocational qualifications that are offered range from those that develop basic skills and employability to higher national certificates and diplomas. We heard from my colleague John Park about the importance of modern apprenticeships and the support that colleges provide through the various awarding bodies.

Increasingly, colleges work with universities to deliver degree courses and with employers and universities to deliver innovative employed-status programmes such as engineers of the future. My local college, Adam Smith College, is involved in that programme in partnership with Forth Valley College and Heriot-Watt University. As we heard, colleges also deliver critical sections of modern apprenticeships, and at present they are keeping in training modern apprentices who have lost their jobs. That relates to Margaret Smith's point. In 2007-08, more than 16,200 students were registered with colleges for training that supported modern apprenticeship, skillseeker or new deal programmes.

Colleges have proven their ability to respond rapidly, strategically and locally to the recession. They have risen to the challenge by helping redundant apprentices to continue their studies, as I said, and they make a significant contribution to the national partnership action for continuing employment by providing the highly skilled workforce that is required. However, I say to the minister that colleges are struggling. The sector has faced mounting pressure over the past 18 months. It has experienced a significant shortfall in bursary funding as well as a sharp increase in the number of applicants, as we heard today. We need to take on board the fact that they also have improved retention rates. We want that, but it is putting pressure on the service. Adam Smith College, which serves the whole of central Fife, received £424,000 in extra funding, but it needed £790,000 just for the provision of bursaries. The Scottish Government must help and must show commitment to the colleges if we are to move forward.