Rennie urges SNP to look to Germany to reinvigorate skills agenda

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today criticised the SNP’s handling of vocational education and urged them to look to Germany to learn lessons for how to deliver training and education in key areas.

In January 2022, the Scottish Government were roundly criticised by Audit Scotland for its handling of programmes to tackle the country's skills gap, warning that: “The Scottish Government did not provide the necessary leadership or oversight.”

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) together spend over £2 billion each year on training and post-school education.

In May 2022, CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, produced a report highlighting the challenges of Scotland’s skills and labour shortages which revealed that 41% of businesses are experiencing skills shortages and recruitment problems, particularly in technical, vocational and specialist skills areas.

Willie Rennie said:

“The SNP’s failure to get to grips with delivering the skilled workforce we will need is a multi-billion-pound problem.

“Scotland's economic future rests heavily on the capabilities, knowledge and talents of its workforce. This is particularly crucial in our quest for a just transition.

“To achieve these goals, we must prioritize and balance our education system, from early childhood to lifelong learning, by giving equal weight to vocational pathways and traditional academic paths.

“Unfortunately, the current focus on national qualifications and university education tends to undervalue alternative forms of learning, such as apprenticeships. By fostering equal recognition and respect for different educational pathways, Scotland can ensure that learners choose careers that align with both their interests and the needs of the economy.

“Germany serves as a valuable example in this regard. According to the OECD, Germany has a well-developed and highly respected vocational education and training system that offers a broad range of qualifications and adapts to the changing labour market. The dual system, which integrates on-the-job training with classroom instruction, prepares apprentices for a smooth transition to full-time work.

“It has the buy-in of stakeholders at all levels, including employers and it is well-resourced, drawing on both public and private funding, even in times of crisis.

“Unfortunately, here our skills agenda is mired in dither and delay. We need a greater focus, parity of esteem and investment in colleges, skills and vocational education.”