The STUC will press the Scottish government
to work with them to tackle gender inequality
in apprenticeships and to encourage women
to take on apprenticeships in under-represented
sectors.
Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary
also committed to taking up incidents
of abuse in the apprenticeship sector
in his capacity as a board member of Skills
Development Scotland.
Seconding the motion from the STUC Youth
Conference, James Corry, from UNISON’s
Skills Development Scotland branch told
Congress that careers’ staff have
a key role in combating all types of inequality
in apprenticeships, by helping young people
to think through their options at an early
stage.
He reminded delegates that whilst more
needs to be done to encourage women to
consider and undertake apprenticeships
in under represented occupational sectors,
we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact
that the issue of under representation
within apprenticeships covers a whole
host of under represented groups including
young people with disabilities and looked
after children.
He called for all school pupils to be
better prepared for employment and better
informed in career choice.
James said, “It is clear to our
members who are professionally qualified
careers advisers that this will only be
achieved by ensuring that all pupils have
made a well informed choice before commencing
any vocational pathway in their senior
phase of schooling.
“Thus, when at the stage of considering
new upper school options such as Foundation
Modern Apprenticeships adequate resources
should be in place to ensure all school
pupils have regular access to face to
face advice and guidance on a one to one
basis with a Careers Guidance professional.
“This will provide the crucial
support young people need to integrate
these experiences into their career management
skills and their personal future plans.
“UNISON believes all our careers
practitioners in SDS have a fundamental
partnership role to play in addressing
the inequalities many disadvantaged groups
face in accessing and securing apprenticeship
opportunities.”
He urged the Scottish Government to adequately
resource front line career guidance services
and concentrate on what leading academics
have proven actually works.
