The Scottish Government

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

Friday, November 30, 2007

In May of this year the people of Scotland voted for a new approach and better future for Scotland. Now we are asking you to take part in a National Conversation on whether more powers would be beneficial for our country.

For example, skills for work is a devolved area, but the UK Government often leads in the design of employment and skills policies. UK Government employment and benefit-related policies generally address the wider skills needs of the UK but don't always take account of what's best for Scotland.

We recently launched the first ever skills strategy for Scotland 'Skills for Scotland' to address Scotland's skills issues, some of which are different from those in the rest of the UK. Further transfer of powers in the area of employment services could provide greater coherence and accountability for delivery of employment and skills development policy.

We just have to look to small independent countries across the water to see that further powers could help Scotland become smarter.

We could deliver a more comprehensive early years strategy if we had more say over reserved areas. The ability to set maternity and paternity leave, for example, would allow us to support parents in those crucial early years. We need only look to Iceland to see the benefits. It can set maternity and paternity rules which currently give fathers three months leave when mothers decide to return to work. This not only makes the return to work easier for mothers but also ensures fathers take more interest in their child's upbringing.

Our National Conversation is the first step to exploring what extra powers could do for Scotland - I for one am convinced we would thrive and compete on the world stage, providing a better standard of living and quality of life for families.

This blog is now closed to further comments.

Comments

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• 1. louise - Inverclyde

  Tuesday, October 2, 2007 23:29

  I think that one of the main skills that scots need is confidence in their own abilities. I think we need a skills strategy that attempts to improve peoples confidence in what they already know. Too many job seeker courses dont give people credit for the skills they already have. I would actually like to see a return to apprenticeships with employers and law requiring a certain percentage of workers to be apprentices. These apprentices should be the people who when there are redundancies are always the last to go. I would also like to see it being made easier for new busineses to be set up. For this i think we need control of the benefit system. I think the whole benefit system needs to be revamped with advisors taking on the job of job counsellors so that there is more a feeling of encouragement in people seeking work. To many job centres are like prisons with guards walking about. The benefit system should be serperated from the job seeking system.

• 2. Robert James Dudgeon - Cannons Creek Australia

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007 13:02

  Number 1, louise, what you say makes a lot of sense,I am currently doing research on the contribution of Scots outside of Scotland and to date my findings are so positive, if Scots had the same confidence and opportunities in Scotland as they have outside of Scotland then Scotland would play a very big part on the worlds stage.I agree that apprenticeships have to be high on the agenda, and perhaps Scotland could bring in Adult apprenticeships as we have in Australia; we also have TAFE colleges which offer a huge range of courses for all ages, Scotland is in my heart and in my blood and without a doubt Scotland needs to take more control of its future in all areas; it is the only choice for the Homeland, everything needed is there, it just needs the right people to put it together and Scotlands future will bloom,
  it is up to the Scottish Government to provide the facilities and the financial support to achieve this and this can only be achieved by taking more control of Scottish affairs, Lang May Scotlands Lum Reek, airson Alba, Rabhairt.

• 3. Billy H - Kilmarnock

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007 13:26

  National self-confidence needs to be further built up for the majority to view independence as a realistic option. Skilling large numbers of young people currently slipping through the net would allow them to think positively about themselves and their country in the future.

• 4. Mandy - Glasgow

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007 13:50

  You just need to look at Holyrood to see the skills shortage! Look in the mirror...

• 5. Robert James Dudgeon - Cannons Creek Australia

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007 15:11

  Mandy, a negative point of view will not help.
  Billy H your view on the skilling of young people is the POSITIVE action that will ensure Scotland's future.
  Professor Ian Frazer, who was named Australian of the Year 2006 for his work in developing vaccines to prevent and treat cervical cancer, said he was thankful to those who nominated him because of the opportunities the award had provided.
  Yes he is a SCOT and how many more young Scots like him are just waiting for the opportunity to achieve their dreams, but in Scotland , not here.

• 6. John - Edinburgh

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007 16:33

  Its time this government took a hard line on Law and Order If you break the law you pay! carry a knife 5 yrs in jail
  and 5yrs means 5yrs kill and its life and life is life no getting out to kill again you get a sentence to go to jail your there till you do your time no early release and then and only then will things get better and thats across the board with every problem in this namby pamby country Law and Order and then respect will return

• 7. David Sutherland - Ayr

  Wednesday, October 3, 2007 17:03

  I have spent many years working as a community worker with teenagers. Over the past 5 years I had the privilage of working in a Prince's Trust Project in an Ayr school for 15 and 16 year olds. The pupils were enabled to show so much latent talent and skills. They were keen to develop their skills and I saw how they were appreciated in their Work Experience when they had good supervision in a work force. The pupils were not academic but they have the ability....all they need is proper training to meet individual needs.

• 8. wullieb - bellshill

  Thursday, October 4, 2007 00:44

  ill reply to robert james,australia.we have a long history of travelling the world spreading the genius we have.but truthfully,would it be any diffrent if we were independent?i dont think so.i drive a lorry,but i appreciate the contribution we have made,and will continue to make in this world without an independent scotland,cos the simple truth is ,it wont work.because we have politicians that are ,very clearly,not as bright as the people they are trying to champion.dont use our very good scientific,humane,and engineering reputation to stroke youre own egos as politicians.when you think you are a good engineer,soldier,doctor,money raiseras the rest of us,then dare to assume you are a good politician.because until the day you work 60 hours a week for 300 quid,stop patronising me,and everybody else who lives in my street.as you can tell,ive no time for politicians who want to claim expenses for representing me in parliament
  

• 9. wullieb - bellshill

  Thursday, October 4, 2007 00:51

  its too late.shouldve thought aboot skillin years ago
  

• 10. louise - Inverclyde

  Thursday, October 4, 2007 09:08

  9. wullieb its never too late too think about skills
  
  I think 2. Robert James makes a valid point maybe we should think about adult apprenticeships for those over the age of 21. Funding for this could come from the government instead of paying for "training courses". A lot of these training course just take people of the unemployment register and dont actually provide the chance of a real job.

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