Minister defends career service cost-cutting plans

Published on 07/12/2012 01:04

The Scottish Government has defended changes to careers services amid complaints from Labour that they are driven by a cost-cutting agenda.

Youth Employment Minister Angela Constance urged MSPs to support the modernisation of the service which she says will ensure people get the support they need.

Labour pointed to figures showing that only 17 per cent of school pupils are registered with an online service which aims to help them get a job and develop a career.

Ms Constance said: “Our career system will deliver a 
universal service for young 
people with career management skills, delivered in the classroom and with additional tailored support for those young people in greater need.”

She was speaking in a government-led debate on the issue, arguing that modernising the service is vital to economic recovery in Scotland.

“We should rightly be proud of our careers services. They have been instrumental in achieving a record high 87.2 per cent of school leavers sustaining further learning, training or work,” she said.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay said the changes are led by a desire to cut costs.