Meeting of the Parliament 19 November 2025
This year, we also have a record number of more than 110,000 vocational and technical qualification awards.
There is more to do. That is why the primary legislation is important. If we bring all the provision in to one institution, for higher and further education and apprenticeships, we can increase the offer and the efficiency and we can create flexibility, new opportunities and the agility to deal with the technological challenge, more opportunities for retraining—which will only become more important—and parity of esteem for people who are starting or changing their career.
There is so much more that I could say, but I will leave it there.
I move amendment S6M-19756.2, to leave out from first “believes” to end and insert:
“agrees that there needs to be greater partnership between education and industry, with better careers advice in schools central to it, and clear and coherent Scottish pathways to link school and college courses to future careers, improved placements for secondary school pupils, and better information on career choices, job prospects and earnings, alongside an ongoing commitment to apprenticeships; acknowledges the significant progress made over the years to deliver a record number of apprentices in training at the end of 2024-25; notes that, despite the impact of Brexit and a failing UK economic model, resulting in workforce challenges and barriers to trade, Scotland is the best performing part of the UK for inward investment outside of London, has a lower unemployment rate than the UK, and has near record positive destinations, and agrees that independence offers the best opportunity for Scotland’s economy to grow and create wealth and prosperity for all.”
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