The evidence
SDS have gathered extensive evidence on the Scottish career system.
This key stage of the Career Review has included detailed analysis of existing policy, funding, service offers, user perception and performance of current provision. The 'as is' review has mapped the career services available for young people in Scotland up to the age of 25.
Reports and Whitepapers
Exploring Scotland's Career Ecosystem
Commissioned by Skills Development Scotland for the Career Review, the report explores career services for young people (up to the age of 25) in Scotland.
International Best Practice
The report “Exploring Scotland’s Career Ecosystem” included an international review which looked at six parallel systems from overseas and examined how they organise their career services. This whitepaper summarises the findings.
Careers ecosystem of the future
This whitepaper summarises the findings from the “Exploring Scotland’s Career Ecosystem” on shaping the careers ecosystem.
Report On Curriculum for Excellence: Implications for Career Services
The OECD published their report, Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence: Into the Future, in June 2021. This whitepaper summarises the OECD’s findings relevant to career choices. Independently authored for the Career Review by Richard Scothorne, Rocket Science UK Ltd.
So what have we learned?
Discover the key messages from the evidence gathered so far, thought leadership articles from experts across Scotland summarising the findings and additional evidence packages.
Given the extensive research carried out, it's important to understand which aspects of the Scottish career system were analysed before exploring the findings.
In scope for the review
- Publicly funded services delivered in Scotland
- Early years
- Secondary education (BGE / SP)
- Post school in-transition
- Further education (FE)
- Higher education (HE)
- Employment, including apprenticeships
Out of scope for the review
- Privately funded careers services
- Services outwith Scotland
- Redundancy services
- Adult career transitions (for the evidence base only, recommendations will cover all age services)
Scotland has been recognised as having a world class career guidance system with international recognition. Through this review, we can evidence clear strengths in the existing provision.
Grahame Smith, former STUC General Secretary and Chair of the Career Review Programme Board, highlights the areas of Scotland’s careers ecosystem which are currently delivering effective services for customers, practitioners, and the wider career ecosystem.
Key messages
- Skills Development Scotland plays a critical role in the wider career ecosystem as both a career service delivery agency and a strategic skills body, linking career guidance to education and employment, and influencing provision beyond its own staffing.
- There is clear evidence of investment in the infrastructure needed for effective services, including high quality LMI and digital services.
- Scottish Government has aspirational aims, around creating a fully-realised, lifelong guidance system which is accessible to all, with many examples of good practice and innovation.
- Both SDS and Universities demonstrate high levels of professionalism.
- Third sector partnerships through local working demonstrate clear benefits, particularly in widening access to services to vulnerable people in time of need.
Behind the evidence gathered are the real people and organisations who engage with the career system in Scotland. Find out more about how they have used or contributed to career services and their honest feedback on the current system.
-
Discover the impact work-based learning opportunities, including Foundation Apprenticeships, provide for young people looking to develop their careers - view case study
-
Learn how construction company Balfour Beatty contributes to the career system with experiential opportunities for young people to learn about their industry - view case study
-
Thousands of young people receive excellent support and advice every year, but evidence shows that for many others, like Jack, this isn’t the case - view case study
Through the Career Review research, we've charted the evolution of the careers service in Scotland over the past 40 – 50 years. We also understand what the future of work may hold, with insight on pre and post COVID-19 issues, and opportunities and challenges to address.
Explore the careers service from inception to where we are now, to understand the relationship between the economy, attributes of work and policy, the evolution of the service at pivotal points in time, and view our insight on what the future of work may look like for Scotland.
Visit the careers service history timeline
Look ahead to the future of work with a context summary which provides insight on some of the pre and post COVID-19 issues, along with opportunities and challenges for our skills system, labour market, economy and society.
Through the 'Mapping Scotland’s Career Services' commission, six international case studies have been collated, showcasing diversity and a range of different systems that Scotland could adapt elements of best practice from.
Each case study presents a brief overview of an international location which publicly funds career services, with the intent of using career services to meet a range of diverse policy aims.
And each country we’ve analysed has its strengths, many of which Scotland share, and aspects which the Programme Board will consider when moving to the next stage of the review.
Support
If you require any of the information presented in the evidence packs in another format, please get in touch.