First Minister Alex Salmond today issued a rallying call to Scotland's large and small private sector employers, urging them to hire the 25,000 modern apprenticeships being created in the coming year. The figure is a record high and 58 per cent higher than the level in 2006-07.

In a letter to Scotland's 200 biggest companies and the Federation of Small Businesses, Mr Salmond has outlined the economic benefits to be reaped by businesses, not to mention individuals and society as a whole, through the modern apprenticeship scheme.

These opportunities form part of a £34.5 million package to support thousands of additional employment, training and college places announced last week as part of next year's Scottish Budget.

The First Minister made the call following a specially convened Cabinet at Bute House.

Mr Salmond said: "The budget demonstrated yet again that we are doing everything possible to support our young people in tough economic conditions. Meanwhile this week's labour market statistics show that employment rose by 23,000 during the three months to December 2010 - a seventh consecutive increase.

"Scotland has a higher employment rate and lower inactivity rate than the UK as a whole, a testament to the Scottish Government's strong stance supporting jobs, skills and training. Despite a Westminster cut of £1.3 billion we will support a record 25,000 modern apprenticeships in the coming year.


"However, these vital opportunities can only be realised to the benefit of the whole economy with the support of our business community. That is why I have written personally to Scotland's 200 biggest companies and the Federation of Small Businesses outlining how they can improve their business by signing up to the modern apprenticeship scheme.

"Youth unemployment has the potential to damage both individuals and the economy. Tackling it is therefore a top priority for the Scottish Government but we cannot meet this challenge alone.

"Together we will ensure that all young Scots can access the employment, education and training they need to find lasting, sustainable work. We will not allow our young people to become another lost generation."

John McClelland, chair of Skills Development Scotland said: "There are over 100 different modern apprenticeship frameworks now available in Scotland and last year alone we agreed to fund 35 new frameworks created by Sector Skills Councils. Apprenticeships offer outstanding benefits for employers, individuals and the economy. Across a wide range of occupational sectors and in highly skilled jobs, spectacular career paths have been created for new entrants as a result of closer links across modern apprenticeship delivery, further and higher education.

"We welcome the additional funding next year. The expansion of the modern apprenticeship programme confirms the outstanding success of the current model and we look forward to working with even more employers to build on this achievement in the coming year."

The budget will:

* Invest a further £11.5 million to create 25,000 modern apprenticeship places - a record high for Scotland

* Provide 7,000 flexible training opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) - 2,000 more than originally planned in the draft Budget

* Protect the total number of core university places and invest £8 million for an extra 1,200 college places

* Invest an additional £15 million across 2010-11 and 2011-12 in funding for college bursaries

* Maintain the educational grants for pupils and college students most in need (Educational Maintenance Allowances (EMAs)) which were cut south of the border.

(GK)