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THOUSANDS of young people across Scotland have been “left in limbo” as no new modern apprenticeships will be available “for the foreseeable future” as a result of delays with Scottish government funding, according to a training federation.
Employers have been forced to put their recruitment plans on hold, with training providers looking at laying off staff due to the shortage of work, the Scottish Training Federation (STF) said.
Every April, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) enters contracts with employers and training providers to deliver new modern apprenticeships.
But the Scottish government has not yet agreed a budget or number of new modern apprenticeships with SDS, according to the STF.
The STF has urged the Scottish government to agree a budget with SDS and make 27,000 apprenticeship places available this year to meet employer demand.
STF chief executive Stuart McKenna said: “This is a very poor situation: nobody in Scotland can start a new modern apprenticeship for the foreseeable future because the budget hasn’t been signed off.”
The Scottish government said Skills Development Scotland has issued contract awards for 2023-24 for around 39,000 modern apprentices who are currently in training, providing ongoing support for businesses and individuals across Scotland.
