GORDON Brown’s pro-Union think tank has recommended a “year of service” programme for young Scots.
Our Scottish Future commissioned a report which suggested this would help Scots gain skills before entering the workforce. It also called for a new Scottish careers service and reforms to employability programmes.
Authored by the Social Market Foundation, the report says that despite having Europe’s most highly-educated population, Scotland still lags behind London and the South East for productivity.
Too many Scots are “underemployed”, it says, while 17% of the economically inactive population want to work.
Recommendations include an overhaul of the “fragmented” skills funding system, as well as a scheme similar to the UK “year of service” pilot project which launched in 2022.
It says: “A Scottish service year would learn from these approaches. Young people aged 16 to 24 would be offered placements that have clear social benefit, lasting up to a year.
“Hours per week would be flexible, depending on the circumstances of the participant, but most would be full time, and paid at least at the national living wage.”
It comes as the Labour Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the UK Government is going to close the care worker visa route for overseas recruitment.
Jim Gallagher, chairman of Our Scottish Future, said: “We’ve got great people, great ideas, and some industries that have massive potential for growth.
“Somehow, that is not yet leading to everyone being in a good job that makes the most of their talents.
“We need skills and employability policies that support industry and give people the best opportunities for success.”
Jamie Gollings, an author of the report, said: “Exciting new initiatives like a Scottish careers service, devolving welfare policy and introducing a Scottish year of service have the potential to make a real, tangible impact.
“Across the world, sluggish growth is the challenge of our time.
“By taking the practical measures this report proposes, and learning from best practice in both Westminster and Holyrood, Scotland has the potential to show the world how to achieve sustained long-term growth, and provide Scots with the good jobs and quality of life they deserve.”
Our Scottish Future was set up by former prime minister Brown, to push for “positive and radical change in Scotland, accelerated by a reformed UK”.
The think tank was previously one of the groups “named and shamed” for their secrecy over who funds them.
It also faced calls to reveal who was behind a mysterious quarter of a million pounds donation given in 2020-21.
In 2021, Our Scottish Future was accused of “baselessly undermining confidence” in Scotland’s Covid testing programme. Then-first minister Nicola Sturgeon would later dispute the methodology the group used.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The First Minister has been clear that one of his key priorities is to grow the economy and we have been taking the necessary steps to do this.
“Ministers are engaging industries and employers across the country, and will continue to do so as we reform the skills system and introduce a new skills planning approach, which will enable targeted action to address national and regional skills requirements.
“We are also reviewing and improving school-age and adult careers support, including better information on career choices, job prospects and earnings.”
She continued: “Ministers have already indicated that they will be working closely with the Career Services Collaborative, which brings together careers service providers and to improve coherence of the careers offer for users.
“Recognising the need to address current skills needs while reforming the system, we are providing £185 million this year to support apprenticeships – and looking at how we secure maximum benefit from this investment, including how public funding is utilised.”
