Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) is a seven-year programme (2014-2021) that aims to better prepare children and young people from 3–18 for the world of work.

This programme builds on the foundations already in place as part of Curriculum for Excellence.

Its headline aim is to reduce youth unemployment by 40% by 2021.

Education Working For All, the final report of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, was published in June 2014.

The Government’s response to this report was published in the form of the Youth Employment Strategy in December 2014. The strategy includes milestones for the seven-year programme across all sectors; challenging schools, colleges and employers to embrace the recommendations and implement the measures required to effect lasting change.

The Youth Employment Strategy summarises the ambitions for local authorities, schools and their partners. For schools, these are summed up under the following key themes:

• Increasing the route from schools into employment, or further education which is closely linked to employment
• Engaging with young people, parents, teachers and practitioners, partners and employers
• Supporting teachers and practitioners to develop children’s and young people’s learning about the world of work
• Providing earlier relevant, labour-market focused career advice when young people need it, leading to better outcomes
• Embedding meaningful employer involvement
• Consolidating partnership working with colleges and other training providers
• Young people able to access more vocational options during the Senior Phase of secondary school, which delivers routes into good jobs and careers, developed through effective partnership between schools, colleges, local authorities and other partners
• Improving opportunities and experiences for all learners, with a focus on reducing gender imbalance on course take-up
• Development of Foundation Apprenticeships in schools
• Stronger partnerships between employers and education

Transitions

We have a clear understanding of pupil journeys through the school and shared understanding of transition points.

We have mapped these journeys to create a shared understanding of key transition points, the curriculum, reporting to parents, vocational opportunities, DYW, assessment, external providers support opportunities and potential positive destinations.

S6 is a key transition year. Pupils will have two or three transition meetings.

Planning

We have Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) individualised for each year group S1-S6.

The PLPs are designed to elicit information relevant to each year group relating to how the pupil is settling into school, how they learn best, skills development, employability skills and transition to a positive destination.

Every pupil has a Support Plan containing profile factors and targets.  This is updated at the annual pupil review.

The S3 review will use the PLPs S1-S3 information and Support Plan to allow the pupils and parents to make informed decisions regarding Senior Phase option choices.

S4-S6 PLPs have an increasing focus on employability and post school destination.

The Curriculum

Every subject area in the school has a clear understanding, which is shared with the pupils, as to how they seek to develop the qualities relating to DYW we see as desirable in our young people. These are Confidence, Creativity, Communication and Collaboration. Teachers will make pupils aware of how we seek to develop these skills in each curricular area.

Vocational Experiences

Pupils in S3 will have access to taster sessions in Horticulture, Beauty Care and Hospitality within the school. This will help inform S4 Options. Pupils will also have careers input in PLP classes from Skills Development Scotland. S3 Pupils will have a Vocational Information Evening event, which they are encouraged to attend with a parent.

S4 pupils will have the opportunity to study Introduction to Work Based Skills at National 3 level.

S4/S5 pupils will choose a range of vocational and academic courses which they will study in S4 /S5.

S4-S6 pupils have a wide range of external partners providing work placements which can be tailored to meet their individual needs.