New initiative launched to help Scots compete in world job market

A CULTURAL relations body has launched an initiative to give young Scots better skills to help them compete for jobs at an international level.

British Council Scotland’s World Scots wants to encourage more young people to think about job prospects and careers in a global context.

Research shows that three-quarters of business leaders are concerned that young people’s horizons are not broad enough to operate in a “globalised” economy.

The Global Skills Gap survey of 500 business leaders in the UK last autumn was commissioned by the British Council and Think Global.

British Council Scotland now aims to increase participation by 25 per cent in the main programmes it runs, to give young people in Scotland experience of working and studying abroad.

Director Lloyd Anderson said: “At the heart of all our programmes is a commitment to giving young people the skills they need to operate comfortably in an increasingly globalised world and interact successfully with people from other countries and cultures.

“We believe that this is not just good for the individuals who take part. At the macro level it can help to make Scotland a more competitive nation in the world economy by having more citizens who are able to engage and do business with people from elsewhere.”

The programmes include the EU-funded Erasmus scheme which gives students the chance to study abroad; Comenius which supports partnerships between schools, colleges and local authorities in 32 countries in Europe; and the English Language Assistants scheme which offers opportunities to work in a school abroad.