Getting the most out of Our Skillsforce
We provide two services that you need an account to access. Just let us know what service you want to use and we'll get you to the right place.
We provide two services that you need an account to access. Just let us know what service you want to use and we'll get you to the right place.
Make connections with schools and colleges in your local area.
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Create and work through your business action plan
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Create and work through your business action plan.
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Let us answer your questions
Here are some of the most common enquiries we get from employers. If your question isn't among them then get in touch.
Yes. There are creative and exciting ways to fill skills gap and build a future workforce such as Modern Apprenticeships and the Certificate of Work Readiness. Visit our recruitment section for a full rundown on how and where to advertise your vacancies, including the support on offer from partner organisations such as Jobcentre Plus
Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive targets support at unemployed young people. It offers employers up to £4,000 when their company commits to a new job or new Modern Apprentice. If the company pays the young person the living wage there will be an additional payment of £500. This incentive is not a handout to companies – it is a co-investment in young people with a view to helping businesses grow.
There is also additional in-work support through Open Doors Consortium. Skills Development Scotland will make available funding of up to £500 per young person to the organisations within the consortium who deliver support. This additional package offers specialist employer services such as accredited training, job coaching, purchase of basic workplace clothing and mentoring.
Skills for Growth combines free consultancy from Investors in People with free support from your employer engagement adviser. They work with you to identify priorities, objectives and challenges for your organisation. They can produce a people and training action plan, signpost you to any training required, help you maximise funding and provide a process for measuring progress.
You’ll find helpful information at Skills Development Scotland, where you can register on the National Learning Opportunities Database, help us deliver one of our National Training Programmes or apply to become an Individual Learning Account approved provider.
Get in touch with us and our skilled employment advisers can let you know about what incentives, grants and funding are available in Scotland and talk you through options if your funding is coming to an end.
We can offer support, guidance and access to training and funding initiatives to help you grow your business or manage change such as redundancy. If you want to invest in skills, then we’re your one-stop shop. Here are some of the ways we can help.
Yes we can. Have you considered taking on a Modern or Foundation Apprentice? The Certificate of Work Readiness is also designed to provide you with job-ready recruits who are trained to your specific standards. Through our network of partner organisations we can point you to training, colleges and recruitment initiatives that are creating strong links between the classroom and the world of work.
We can provide support and let you know about Skills Development Scotland products and services when appropriate, including Modern Apprenticeships. In addition, we can work with you in partnership with awarding bodies and training providers. Get in touch and we’ll help you plan your skills, identify your objectives and develop a plan to help you achieve them.
Flexible Training Opportunities (FTOs) are no longer available.
However, in partnership with the Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland continues to offer a range of other forms of support to small businesses including a fully funded consultancy service to maximise and develop your workforce through Skills for Growth, and the Flexible Workforce Development Fund to up-skill and re-skill employees to support economic growth in Scotland.
Our dedicated team of Employer Engagement Advisers can also offer advice and support, and SDS continues to work with employers and industry bodies on identifying the most effective forms of public sector assistance.
Call our employer helpline on 0800 783 6000 to explore the other products and services available to you.