Building Skills & Knowledge

A:  There are actually 3 different versions of this

It honestly doesn’t matter what you call it (unless you’re speaking to an economist) what is important is that you consider what you want the LMI for and the level of detail needed. Knowing this can make it easier to select a source or set of sources that meet your needs.

A:  This is a very common question and there is a simple answer and a more complex one.

You can view which sectors and occupations are predicted to grow in Scotland over the next 10-years in the SDS Regional Skills Assessment and Data Matrix with information available on every Region and Local Authority.

However, each sector and occupation has its own more complex story. For example, Manufacturing is predicted to employ fewer people, in part due to automation, but High Value Manufacturing is a growth area with huge economic potential, struggling to recruit the highly skilled workforce needed to expand.

The patterns shown in the RSA reports point towards potential opportunities, this helps us prioritise areas to investigate further. Gaining insight into some of the sectors predicted to be important locally can then help you answer this question in more detail.

You can find sector insight and useful links in our Industry Insight area.

A:  There are RSA Summary Infographics available on the Regional Skills Assessments page for every Local Authority area. If you need more detailed information the SDS Data Matrix lets you select your Local Authority and find details on employment, pay, housing, qualifications held, future sector change predictions and more.

There are other sources like the Office of National Statistics that has an Explore Local Statistics database Statistics.Gov.Scot which has data profiles for each council area, or if it’s school information Education Scotland has a Dashboard for all primary, secondary and special schools.

Local Authorities or other local agencies may also have data on their websites. If you are using sources other than the main Government endorsed data providers, please check the data is current and that it meets data standards – methodology shared, representative numbers, etc.

Combining data with local examples and stories, such as college or apprenticeship options, businesses in the area, or current vacancies, can enhance the data when you are communicating it to others.

A:  If you are using a trustworthy source like Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland or Office of national Statistics you can be pretty confident the data is of a good standard and gathered, collated and shared in an ethical manner.

If you are not as confident about the source or the data, look out for two things:

1. Methodology showing things like numbers involved, ways data was gathered and collated, and any data gaps (all data has flaws and gaps).
2. Source of the data shown, hopefully with a link to the original document or location – the source should have a methodology.

It is also good practice to keep a note of the source, publication date and a hyperlink to any data you choose to use and share.
This lets your audience know they can trust what you are sharing, helps you know if data is getting old and needs refreshed, and gives you a quick link back so you can check and refresh the data when the time comes.

If you find something you really want to use but it doesn’t have a source or methodology, put it in quotation marks and site the source where you found it.
If in doubt leave it out - don’t pass on Zombie data (data that is false, unverifiable or lacks credibility).

A:  There are over 600 job profiles available to view on My World of Work that are a great starting point for investigating career paths. You can find out more about what the job involves as well as information about getting into this career by clicking on the ‘getting in’ tab. This section will provide information on useful subjects, any qualification requirements and things that could be needed or helpful to enter that job. You can also explore more information about the job by following the useful links provided.

You can also search for relevant courses from the job profiles which will provide information on course content, entry requirements and institution contact details.  Further information on course entry and additional information is also available from the institutions directly and www.ucas.com provides information and advice on university courses across the UK. You can also use Discover Uni to compare university data like how each scored on the National Student Satisfaction Survey or their graduate destinations.

A:  Learning about new qualifications and names can be confusing. You can have a look at the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)to help you understand the main Scottish qualifications offered by schools, colleges, universities and training providers.  These qualifications can support entry into a range of opportunities within Scotland, the UK and beyond.

More information about National Qualifications offered in school can be found at SQA.

Most parents want practical information, but if they need more detail on, for example pass rates or successful appeals in previous years, the SQA has a Statistics & Information area.

A:  A Foundation Apprenticeship is a work-based learning opportunity for senior-phase pupils. It is a chance for your young person to try something new and develop their important career management skills which can help them to make up their mind about what they want to do for a job.

Typically taken as an option choice in S5 or S6, young people spend time out of school at college or with a local employer and they complete their Foundation Apprenticeship alongside their other subjects like National 4s, 5s and Highers.

Most Foundation Apprenticeships give young people a qualification at the same level as a Scottish Higher, with some available at SCQF level 4 or 5.  You can use the Explore your options tool on Apprenticeships.scot to see how this connects to college, university and advanced apprenticeship options.

More information, including what Foundation Apprenticeships are available at your young person’s school, can be found on apprenticeships.scot