Businesses Call To 'Invest In Talent'

Parents and children must be given every chance to succeed in the workplace.

That's the call from the Scottish Business Voice campaign, which will present a series of meetings with companies to tell them what politicians can do to build on Scotland's key industries.

The group wants children to learn more languages, have more chances to study abroad, and receive more opportunities to go on placement with local firms.

It also recommends schools work more closely with local employers, which is already planned at new-build secondary schools in Levenmouth and the East Neuk.

Scottish Business calls for:

• An extension in the provision of childcare to increase to at least 30 hours a week, 52 weeks of the year, tailored to parents' needs, and a guarantee of pre and after school clubs to ensure that wrap-around care is available for every child.
   
• International business languages taught from P1, mandatory overseas study opportunities at universities by 2020, and "major" new retraining opportunities for existing language teachers to match Scotland's international growth agenda.
   
• A Modern Apprenticeship incentive package to reduce the cost of employing apprentices for smaller and micro businesses, with an emphasis placed on skills shortages and economic need, delivered by 2016.
   
• A major review to see which university courses can be reduced from four to three being implemented by 2017, and a mandatory inclusion of work placements and overseas study being phased in as part of the accreditation process by 2020
• A more flexible attitude to post-study work visas by 2016 for international students
   
• Reform to the Careers Services by 2017, through an alliance between business and Skills Development Scotland, ensuring skills shortages in STEM subjects are clearly understood and eliminated by 2020.
   
• A Stronger focus on the newly created Invest in Youth Panels to enable them to eliminate skills shortages by 2020 across all business critical areas.
   
• Compulsory in-industry or business work experience starting from S1, which forms part of a student’s curriculum, and is recognised with an accreditation that has been created in collaboration with both business and education, by 2018.
   
• Businesses which invest in upskilling and retraining staff should be rewarded with tax breaks to either Business Rates or Employer’s National Insurance Contributions.

Garry Clark, Head of Policy and Affairs and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, says it is a more holistic approach: