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06 AYRSHIRE UPDATE AYRSHIRE COLLEGE WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce September saw the publication of the interim report from the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce which is being led by Sir Ian Wood. Amongst its recommendations were; • Pathways, developed and delivered in partnership with colleges, should start in the senior phase of school and lead to the delivery of industry recognised vocational qualifications alongside academic qualifications. • The important role of colleges in the development of Scotland’s young workforce should be recognised and managed through college Outcome Agreements • Colleges should focus on employment outcomes and supporting local economic development, underpinned by partnerships with industry • The enhancement of vocational education pathways for young people should feature prominently in college Outcome Agreements and Community Plans • Support for young people at risk of disengaging from education, and for those who have already done so, should focus on early intervention and sustained support, and be related to labour market demand • STEM should sit at the heart of the development of Scotland’s young workforce. Making Your Business Our Business On 4 February, leading employers from companies across Ayrshire turned out for an evening with the Board of Management and College managers to find out how we plan to make their business our business. Participants watched a series of videos showcasing how the College is supporting businesses across Ayrshire. You can watch these videos at www1.ayrshire.ac.uk/news_blog/video and read the latest edition of Ayrshire College News for examples of the many ways the college is supporting employers. It is available at www1.ayrshire.c.uk news_blog/news/1133_ayrshire_news. David Ross of Keppie Design summed the evening up; “It was a really good evening and I came away from it amazed at the energy, momentum, enthusiasm and drive from the College and its students. In building a truly collaborative relationship between business and education, in my experience, Ayrshire College is absolutely at the forefront in Scotland.” Amongst the many outcomes from the evening were a number of placement and job opportunities for Ayrshire College students. These are all areas that Ayrshire College is already acting on and our portfolio for 2014-15 demonstrates this. Our commitment to the principles underpinning are being reflected in our Outcome Agreement for 2014-17. The Commission is considering how to engage employers more effectively at all levels of education. Principal Heather Dunk delivered a presentation on how Ayrshire engages with employers at an national summit hosted by the Commission on 31 March.