Support for school leavers
SDS services beyond school
If your young person is leaving school and you or they are feeling worried or unsure about their next steps, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) can help.
The SDS career service is there for everyone, and they can help young people in school and after they leave. An SDS careers adviser can explain the options and support available to them to build the confidence they may need to make decisions and take their next steps.
SDS careers advisers can be reached in school, in SDS centres or community venues across Scotland, or by phoning the freephone SDS helpline. Guidance teachers in school can put you in touch with your school SDS careers adviser. Find your nearest SDS centre or community venue at skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/contact-sds or call the freephone SDS helpline, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on 0800 917 8000. All SDS services are free for everyone to use.
For the Careers Adviser to best support your young person, they may contact you by telephone to find out what your young person’s plans are after school, offer support and arrange appointments.
My World of Work – online support for school leavers
Parents and carers have a key role to play in helping their young people move on from school to whatever comes next. To help you provide support at this important time, Scotland’s career website, My World of Work, has a dedicated area with information and resources to help you support your child as they leave school, including a school leavers’ toolkit and a guide to career conversations.
There is also useful information on additional support for learning and additional support for work.
My World of Work also now offers a translation tool. Using a button on the homepage, the whole site can be instantly translated into 16 different languages, helping young people and parents and carers who use English as an additional language to access the information and support they need.
Skills Development Scotland
Skills Development Scotland’s career service can continue to support young people after they leave school. Find out where to meet them near you skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/contact-sds
Work Experience – S4-S6
Work experience offers students a valuable opportunity to gain real-world insights beyond the classroom. By engaging directly with professionals, students develop essential skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, while exploring potential career paths. This hands-on experience boosts confidence, enhances resumes, and helps students make informed decisions about their future education and employment. Completing work experience also fosters responsibility and time management, preparing students for success in both further studies and the workforce.
All of work experience placements are processed via the Work It website, in line with national guidelines and all S4-6 pupils have a login for this. Their login details have been sent to their Glow Outlook email inbox. Pupils are able to view potential opportunities on this website and can reach out to employers using the contacts to arrange work experience placements.
Should your child wish to complete a work experience placement, please also contact the Principal Teacher of DYW- Miss B Brown – brownb@eastwood.e-renfrew.sch.uk
All S4 pupils will be going on work experience on Jan 19th-23rd 2026. All pupils have been issued access to the Work It website, where they can browse opportunities and submit work experience requests.
https://www.workit.info/
Careers Fair
We are pleased to invite pupils, parents and carers to attend our upcoming Careers Fair on Thursday 30th October. This event aims to facilitate informed decision-making regarding higher education, apprenticeships and various career pathways, thereby assisting pupils and families in planning their futures with confidence. Representatives from leading universities, colleges, and prominent businesses will be present to provide comprehensive information and guidance. Due to the volume of attendees last year from employers and families, the Careers Fair will be conducted with staggered attendance times. This approach is designed to prevent overcrowding and allow everyone the opportunity to engage fully engage with all attendees.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday 30th October
- Timeslot S1/S3/S5 – 6.30pm-7.30pm
- Timeslot S2/S4/S6 – 7.30pm-9pm
- Location: Eastwood High School, Capelrig Road, Newton Mearns, Glasgow, G77 6NQ
Furthermore, if you or your employer are interested in showcasing your sector at this event, please RSVP to our school email at schoolmail@eastwood.e-renfrew.sch.uk. Additionally, please let us know if there is anything we can do to support your participation.
