Lord Haughey backs new National Opportunity Day to boost access to college course skills

Scottish business tycoon Lord Willie Haughey has stressed how much learning practical skills catalysed his career and many others’ as he praised the launch of a National Opportunity Day to help young people navigate their careers.

From left: Kelvin College student-turned-employee Noma Dube, head of student support Gary Sharp, and former student Siobhan McKenzie, who is now a fashion designer. Picture: Jeff Holmes.

Glasgow Kelvin College has registered National Opportunity Day as an official awareness day taking place today to celebrate the opportunities available at college through clearing.

It has commissioned research finding that 82 per cent of Scottish parents would encourage their children to train in a practical profession when they leave school, and coming in the wake of Scottish exam results, with SQA pass rates having fallen and many students now going through the clearing process.

The study of 2,000 Scots, conducted by independent insights agency Opinion Matters, also found that 70 per cent of parents believe their children are pushed down career paths too early.

Lord Haughey, founder of City Facilities Management, says: 'The practical skills and confidence I gained at college set me up for life.' Picture: contributed.

About three in five respondents say they wish they’d chosen something more practical for a career themselves, and 43 per cent of Scots believe they rushed into choosing a career after school.

Labour peer Lord Haughey, founder of City Facilities Management that has 9,000 staff across Scotland and the UK, attended Springburn College, which is now home to Kelvin’s Springburn Campus, as part of a commercial engineering apprenticeship.

“The practical skills and confidence I gained at college set me up for life,” he said. “Not only did I benefit personally, but I have seen countless employees thrive through the opportunities offered at college, where they learn the hands-on, practical skills required to take on a vast array of roles.

“National Opportunity Day will shine the brightest spotlight on the wealth of opportunities available to students through clearing, and awaken a nation to the possibilities on offer to people at all ages and stages through a practical and applicable college education.”

Derek Smeall, principal of Glasgow Kelvin College, hailed National Opportunity Day as “only the beginning for thousands of potential students across Scotland”. He added: “These findings show Scots are waking up to the opportunity that college provides for people of all ages and stages in their careers.

"The window of opportunity shouldn’t close at 18, or when you didn’t get the exam grades you hoped for, or when you’ve already started one career; it’s there for you as long as you want it.”