Scotland's Careers Services
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is the national skills body and we deliver Scotland’s careers service in schools, in centres and online.
Career services
Our careers advisers work in partnership with every state secondary school in Scotland, delivering career information, advice and guidance to (CIAG) enable young people from S1-S6 to develop their career management skills.
My World of Work is Scotland's online career information and advice service and is used by pupils throughout their time at school and beyond.
There’s a dedicated area for parents and carers on My World of Work that offers information to help those career conversations with your young person, understand skills in demand from employers, and suggests ways to explore the different routes and pathways that young people can take.
Beyond school, our advisers operate from a network of SDS centres and community locations nationwide, offering expert CIAG services to customers of all ages.
Please read our Statement of Services, which sets out what to expect during your appointment in one of our SDS centres or community locations, including use of SDS computers.
The careers services we provide are shaped by the Scottish Government’s Career Information, Advice and Guidance Strategy and the recent refresh of the Youth Employment Strategy, which aligns with the recommendations of the Commission on Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce (DSYW).
Our inclusive careers service empowers people from all communities to make their own learning and career decisions, based on the best available career intelligence, up-to-date knowledge of route and pathways and an understanding of their own strengths and interests.
Learn more about SDS's approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Our careers service in schools
Our school services table below provides a comprehensive overview of the help on offer for pupils, parents, carers and teachers.
Career Management Skills
Career Management Skills empower individuals to identify the skills they have and the ones they need to develop to help them realise their potential at any stage in their life.
Our Centres
Our local career service: You can find SDS in our local careers centres or community venues across Scotland. Our expert advisers offer free and personal support to people of all ages and at all stages of their career.
Customer Contact Centre
No matter what stage you’re at in your career or where you live in Scotland, SDS’s Customer Contact Centre can support you across the full range of our services.
16+ Data Hub
The 16+ Data Hub links up the work going on across Scotland to help our young people find positive, sustained destinations after their secondary school education.
My World of Work
My World of Work is Scotland’s award-winning online career information and advice service.
Education team
Skills Development Scotland’s Education team supports teachers, other practitioners, parents and a wider range of partners across Scotland to play their complementary roles in delivering young people’s entitlement to a meaningful career education.
The support we offer teachers
Our resources and tools link to careers, curriculum and education standards.
Parent and carer engagement activities
Our careers advisers engage with parents throughout secondary school to help enhance confidence in supporting their child make important decisions in their career planning journey.
Connect
We’re working with the Connect (formerly Scottish Parent Teacher Council) to enhance partnerships with parents and support young people’s learning in Scotland’s schools.
Our careers service explained
An introduction to the careers information, advice and guidance available from Skills Development Scotland throughout school and from our network of careers centres on high streets across the country.
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