RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS GOING INTO POSITIVE DESTINATIONS

The SNP has welcomed new statistics that show a record 89.9 per cent of school leavers in Scotland are going into work, training or education upon leaving school.


The Skills Development Scotland figures show:


• 1.5 per cent increase in the rate of school leavers going to university

• 1.2 per cent decrease in the proportion of school leavers unemployed

and seeking work

• The percentage of school leavers going into employment has increased



SNP MSP Stuart McMillan welcomed Inverclyde's positive school leaver figure of 95.3% and said:


“We have had a record-breaking year for school leavers going into positive destinations – be it employment, training or education.



“With an historic high of almost 90% of Scotland’s young people securing opportunities after school, we must build on this progress to ensure all of our school leavers get the best opportunities possible.



“That is why the SNP Government is investing more than £80million to improve the life chances of our young people.



“The Opportunities for All initiative, guaranteeing all 16-19 year olds an employment or training opportunity, will continue to combat youth unemployment in Scotland, in spite of the damage caused to the economy by the Westminster system’s austerity agenda.



“With the full powers of an independent nation, we would not be subject to Westminster cuts and could ensure that economic policy better supported our action on youth employment.



"The most recent youth employment figures showed that Scotland has the highest employment, lowest unemployment and lowest economic inactivity for young people in the UK.



“The young people of today will be the engineers, academics, joiners, electricians, and indeed politicians of the future. We have a responsibility to ensure that they continue to get opportunities to succeed.”