This document provides a summary of the May 2015 issue of "Informed Scotland", a publication about learning and skills in Scotland. It includes the following high-level information: - Updates on apprenticeships in Scotland, including new construction foundation apprenticeships and efforts to increase diversity in apprenticeship programs. - Information on skills gaps and shortages in key industries like construction and health/social care. - Details about youth employment trends in Scotland and initiatives to support unemployed and underemployed young people. - Notes on curriculum and attainment under Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence, including a planned review by the OECD and the government's priorities for improvement.

1. Learning and Skills Digest Issue 31 | May 2015
1
Produced by
HOT TOPICS
Apprenticeships
Raising attainment
Construction and health & social care – skills gaps & shortages
Business–education knowledge exchange & partnerships
Innovation

2. Informed Scotland is produced in Edinburgh for professionals who need to keep abreast of the world of learning and
skills; there are ten issues per year. Every effort is made to ensure that the information presented is accurate, but no
liability can be accepted for decisions made on the basis of the information provided. © AJ Enterprises 2015
For subscription details email angela.gardner@ajenterprises.co.uk or call 0131 336 5164.
www.informedscotland.co.uk for more information and to view our calendar of learning and skills events in Scotland.
Interested in a whole-UK perspective? Contact elaine@emhconnect.co.uk for your free trial copy of UK DIGEST.
Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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3 PEOPLE
3 EMPLOYMENT
4 YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
4 BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
4 BUSINESS CREATION, DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH
5 APPRENTICESHIPS - GENERAL
5 APPRENTICESHIPS – CONSTRUCTION
6 SKILLS & TRAINING
6 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
8 PEOPLE
8 CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENT & ATTAINMENT
9 DEVELOPING THE YOUNG WORKFORCE
9 TEACHER EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT
9 LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES
10 PEOPLE
10 STUDENTS & APPLICANTS
10 LEARNING, TEACHING & ASSESSMENT
11 PARTNERSHIPS & AGREEMENTS
11 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS & COLLABORATION
12 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
13 PEOPLE
13 ADULT LEARNING
13 COMMUNITY LEARNING & VOLUNTEERING
13 YOUTH WORK, YOUTH BANKS
14 PEOPLE
14 GOVERNMENT & BUSINESS
14 CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
ANNEX 15 THE SCOTLAND CAN DO INNOVATION FORUM

3. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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PEOPLE
TIM HURST
Head of Offshore Industry
Development, Highlands & Islands
Enterprise (HIE), is the Managing
Director, Wave Energy Scotland.
CHRISTINE MCLINTOCK
is the new President, Law Society
of Scotland.
SARAH JARDINE
Director of Manufacturing, Optos
plc, is new Chair, Scottish
Manufacturing Advisory Service
Board for Scottish Enterprise.
LANTRA
appointed HENRY GRAHAM,
Midlothian farmer, as National
Chair, and KEVIN PATRICK, Interim
Director, as Director in Scotland.
OWEN KELLY
is to stand down as Chief Executive,
Scottish Financial Enterprise
when a replacement is appointed.
EMPLOYMENT
Unemployment in Scotland was 168,000 from
January to March 2015, up by 19,000 at 6.0%
(5.5% for UK). Male unemployment was 6.7%
(5.7%), 5.4% for females (5.3%). Employment
was 2.622m, down by 3,000 at 74.5% (73.5%).
Useful Labour Market Infographic from Skills
Development Scotland (SDS) with more detail
in the SPICe Labour Market Update.
According to Eurostat statistics, in October to
December 2014 Scotland’s rate of female
unemployment was 4% – lowest in Europe (UK
5.3%). Female employment was 71.3%, second
highest after Sweden (72.6%).
The latest Bank of Scotland Report on Jobs
recorded a further improvement in the labour
market in April. However, permanent placements
rose at the slowest rate for two years and the
‘Barometer’ fell to a 22-month low.
Edinburgh Supported Employment
Consortium, involving ENABLE Scotland, The
Action Group, Intowork and Forth Sector
launched All In Edinburgh, to help those with a
disability or long-term health condition find paid
work. The £6m City of Edinburgh Council
programme will provide support for 2,000
residents over the next three years.
Local Area Labour Markets in Scotland –
Statistics from the Annual Population Survey 2014
from Scotland’s Chief Statistician include:
216,500 were underemployed (8.6% of all
employed) down 20,200 over the year, mainly
due to part- and full-time male workers.
47.1% of 16–64 year-olds had SVQ level 4 or
higher qualifications, highest on record;
139,500 had no qualifications.
33.2% of workers aged 25–64 were graduates
– highest since comparable records began.
67.4% of 50–64 year-olds were employed (up
from 61.9%).
8.4% of those aged 65+ were employed (up
from 5.2%).
Police Officer Quarterly Strength Statistics 31
March 2015 showed there were 17,295 police
officers in Scotland (up 0.3% since 2014).
UK Commission for Employment & Skills
(UKCES) launched Workplace solutions to the
gender pay and opportunity gap, the latest
competition in its UK Futures Programme. Bids
are sought from adult social care, cleaning and
commercial catering sectors ‘to trial innovations in
good job design for lower paid women workers’.
The deadline for submissions is 13 July 2015.

4. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
The unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year-olds
in Scotland from January to March was 13.8%
(15.4% in the UK). The male unemployment rate
was 18.0% (17.4% UK) compared to 10.0% for
females (13.2%).
In Informed Scotland issue 1 in May 2012, youth
unemployment was 23.1% & employment 51.9%.
Office for National Statistics published
Young People Not in Education, Employment or
Training (NEET). From January to March 2015:
943k 16–24 year-olds in the UK were NEET
(down 45k from 2014), comprising 13.0% of
the age group (down 0.5 ppts).
46% of NEETs were classified as unemployed
(down from 52%); the rest as economically
inactive (unavailable/not looking for work).
According to the Local Area Labour Markets in
Scotland – Statistics (see p.3), in 2014:
Youth employment rate was 53.2% (50.5% in
the UK), up from 52.6% in 2013.
Youth unemployment rate was 17.1% (17.2%
in UK), down from 20.6%.
21k (8.4%) 16–19 year-olds were NEET, down
2.8 percentage points.
BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
The latest Bank of Scotland Purchasing
Managers’ Index recorded a return to growth in
April due to positive service sector performance.
Manufacturing output fell for second time in 2015.
BUSINESS CREATION, DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH
Enterprise Research Centre published
Benchmarking Local Innovation – The innovation
geography of the UK mapping the concentration of
businesses ‘developing new British goods and
services’. According to findings Scotland is not
performing well, with E Scotland, N Ireland and
Cumbria reporting the weakest innovation in the
UK. The proportion of firms in Scotland, Wales and
N Ireland reporting R&D was at or below the
English average.
A new Informed Scotland Innovation Special,
commissioned by College Development
Network to support their Emporium of Dangerous
Ideas 2015, demonstrates the wealth of innovative
activity across the learning & skills landscape.
Young Company Finance published a Guide
to Networking for Entrepreneurs for Scotland. It
explains the role of networking and lists useful
organisations for early stage entrepreneurs.
(See item on Scotland CAN DO Innovation Forum,
p.14 and Annex p.15.)

5. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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APPRENTICESHIPS - GENERAL
Scottish Apprenticeship Week prompted the usual
rash of announcements. (A separate section below
highlights those related to construction.)
Scottish Government confirmed:
500 extra Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) over
the next year.
The expansion of work-based foundation
apprenticeships for senior secondary pupils.
An extra £500k for SDS to achieve ‘better
equality’ within the MA programme – via an
Equalities Action Plan focused on gender,
disability, ethnic minorities and care leavers.
An extra £125k for Equate Scotland for the
CareerWISE initiative, focused on raising
awareness of STEM MAs amongst girls and
their parents.
Times Educational Supplement Scotland
highlighted SDS’s aim for every secondary school
to offer foundation apprenticeships within five
years, and 20% of senior phase pupils to take
foundation apprenticeships by 2020–21.
SDS and BEMIS Scotland are to work in
partnership until March 2016 to raise awareness
and increase participation in MAs among ethnic
minorities.
Robert Gordon University (RGU) is to
develop a new Advanced Apprenticeship Pathway
for Engineers at all stages of their career,
supported by £40k SDS funding and involving
North East Scotland College. Applications are
expected to open in 2016.
According to Scottish Gas research, parents
in Aberdeen are ‘three times more likely to advise
boys to take on an apprenticeship’.
43% of parents said they offered their children
differing career advice depending on gender.
17% of teenage girls compared to 25% of
boys in Aberdeen view a work based
qualification such as an apprenticeship as
essential for their future careers.
APPRENTICESHIPS – CONSTRUCTION
From August 2015 up to 50 S5 pupils in W
Lothian and Highland Councils will begin new
construction foundation apprenticeships. They
were developed by SDS and Construction
Industry Training Board (CITB) with employers,
schools and West Lothian and Inverness
Colleges. West Lothian College is aiming to
achieve 50% female pupil participation.
Highland Council and CITB launched the
Shared Apprenticeship Scheme involving local
construction companies sharing apprentices with
other employers. It will be run by Shared Highland
Apprentices in Construction and of particular
benefit to SMEs.
Forster Roofing in Angus opened an in-house
Skills Academy to train its own new apprentices
and upskill its existing workforce. Its training
programme is supported by CITB and Scottish
Building Apprenticeship & Training Council.
Firms are increasingly tackling skills shortages
and gaps by ‘growing their own’ skilled
employees.
CITB launched the Experience Construction
Programme offering 16–18 year-olds the
opportunity for two weeks of structured work
experience.

6. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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SKILLS & TRAINING
UKCES published Skills and performance
challenges in the health and social care sector.
2.1m new employees will be needed by 2022.
A larger than average cohort of the workforce
is aged 50–64 and set to retire.
Technically complex care is likely to increase.
Employees find limited opportunities to
progress to higher level roles.
In Scotland, 29% of employers reported skills
gaps in 2013 (13% N Ireland, 19% UK).
95% of employers provided training (88–89%
in other UK nations; compared to 66% in the
economy as a whole).
Recommendations include designing dual
(health/social care) training and qualifications,
and sharing learning on how to engage lower
skilled workers in workplace learning.
The Prince’s Trust Scotland opened the
Wolfson Centre in Glasgow, a ‘youth employment
and enterprise hub’ to support young people into
work, training or to start their own business. It
includes a Samsung Digital Suite for digital
literacy and skills training and an Enterprise floor.
City of Edinburgh Council was awarded
£290,153 Big Lottery Funding for a new
employability and training scheme for 16–24
year-olds on the autism spectrum or with learning
disabilities. 60 nine-month internships will be
offered, including work placements, support from
Intowork and Edinburgh College staff and
opportunity to gain Scottish Qualifications
Authority (SQA) employability awards.
Chartered Institute of Payroll
Professionals and activpayroll launched a new
training academy in Aberdeen.
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
National Centre for Universities and
Business published State of the Relationship
2015, the second annual report of UK-wide
university and business collaboration. The report:
includes a new Collaboration Progress Monitor
of long-term impact.
identifies spreading the lessons to SMEs as the
main challenge.
highlights Scottish Funding Council’s work
to promote innovation, and projects including
University of Glasgow with Stirling Castle,
and STV creating local TV stations with
universities and colleges.
The new Inverness Campus was officially
opened, with University of the Highlands &
Islands (UHI), Inverness College UHI, Centre
for Health Science, and Scotland’s Rural
College (SRUC) already committed. Part of the
Campus is to be a Life Sciences Enterprise Area.
Glasgow Caledonian University and
Stream Technologies are collaborating in a two-
year Knowledge Transfer Partnership project to
develop a self-powering sensor interface for low
power radio devices.
Linknode Ltd and Heriot-Watt University
RAE Centre of Excellence in Sustainable
Building Design are working together on
UrbanPlanAR, a two-year project supported by
Innovate UK funding. The aim is to create a
‘mobile architectural visualisation platform for
planners and communities’.
Gas Sensing Solutions Ltd, Sharp
Laboratories of Europe Ltd and University of
the West of Scotland (UWS) are collaborating
to develop ‘self-powering autonomous sensors’,
supported by £450k Innovate UK funding.
Aberdeen Harbour Board (AHB) and RGU

7. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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Glenmorangie, Heriot-Watt University
Centre for Marine Biodiversity &
Biotechnology and Marine Conservation
Society are working in partnership on the Dornoch
Firth Environmental Enhancement Project. The
focus is on supporting the marine environment and
minimising environmental impact of the distillery.
CENSIS (Innovation Centre for Sensor &
Imaging Systems) and European Marine
Energy Centre, Orkney, are to work together to
develop new sensor technologies.
are working on a two-year Knowledge Transfer
Partnership to develop an integrated digital
information and record management system.
AHB is apparently the ‘oldest existing company in
the UK’, established in 1136!

8. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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PEOPLE
BERNARD CHISHOLM
Head of Children’s Services, is the
new Director of Education &
Children’s Services, Comhairle
nan Eilean Siar; Peter Carpenter
left in April for a post in Abu Dhabi.
ALAN WARD
Acting Head of Schools, is now
Head of Education, E Ayrshire
Council.
EUAN DUNCAN
Kilwinning Academy, N Ayrshire, is
new President, Scottish
Secondary Teachers’
Association.
CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENT & ATTAINMENT
Curriculum for Excellence [CfE]
Implementation Group published CfE
Implementation Plan 2015–16. Priorities focus on
improving attainment, including:
Progression in learning and evaluating
achievement
Literacy and numeracy
Career Long Professional Learning
Support for engaging parents and carers
Senior phase pathways
Employability and skills – Developing the
Young Workforce
Using data to support improvement
Tackling bureaucracy
Supporting the new National Qualifications.
National partners are Scottish Government,
Education Scotland, SQA, SDS and College
Development Network.
Representatives of the OECD are visiting
Scotland in June as part of their evaluation of
Curriculum for Excellence. The review is being
carried out at the invitation of the Scottish
Government with the final report due in December
2015.
The review team comprises David Istance and
Maria Huerta, OECD; Andy Hargreaves, Boston
College, USA; and Helen Timperley, Auckland
University, New Zealand.
Education Secretary Angela Constance set out
her aims for education in a speech at the Robert
Owen Centre for Educational Change. She called
for it ‘to be fair and provide excellence to every
child irrespective of their background or
circumstances’. A National Improvement
Framework will be established. She also wants:
Development of evidence-based work to tackle
educational inequality.
Every school and local authority to ‘own’ its
attainment gap and take action.
All teachers to play their part in raising
attainment, including understanding more
about how poverty affects children’s lives.
Barriers to be overcome that prevent parental
involvement in their child’s education.
The speech has received a mixed response, with
the media reporting on some disquiet at its tone.
SQA published New Qualifications Updates for
teachers and employers/parents including details
about the Understanding Standards programme
focused on National 1 to Higher assessment.
Concerns were raised by candidates and teachers
about the Biology and Maths new Higher exams;
SQA issued a statement about the Maths Higher.

9. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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DEVELOPING THE YOUNG WORKFORCE
Education Scotland published Career
Education Standard (3–18) and Work Placements
Standard draft documents for consultation. They
were created by a range of partners with input
from 300+ young people. Final versions of the two
standards, plus guidance on school-employer
partnerships, will be published for use from
September 2015. The materials will be reviewed in
March 2017 following an 18-month trial period.
Feedback surveys are open until 3 July.
An Informed Scotland Technologies at Work
Special was published, commissioned by
Education Scotland to support Building Society:
Young people’s experiences and outcomes in the
technologies, launched earlier this year.
TEACHER EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT
A new optional pathway within the MSc Dance
Science & Education at Moray House School of
Education, University of Edinburgh, has been
accredited by the General Teaching Council for
Scotland (GTCS). Graduates will be eligible to
teach dance in primary and secondary schools.
GTCS is celebrating its 50th Anniversary!
Education Scotland launched a National
Numeracy and Mathematics Hub on Glow for
teacher professional learning, from early years to
senior phase. It provides opportunities for
teachers to share resources and collaborate with
colleagues.
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES
Education Scotland and British Council
Scotland launched Learners International, an
online resource to support schools to develop
learning partnerships with educational
establishments in other countries.
Education Scotland published new modern
languages resources:
Animated French videos for nursery and lower
primary learners, with notes for teachers.
Promoting modern languages in the Senior
Phase – a set of case studies.
IDEAS launched Signposts for Global
Citizenship, a website featuring resources
recommended by local Development Education
Centres to support Curriculum for Excellence.
Gathered Together, a joint project involving
BEMIS and Scottish Parent Teacher Council,
published new resources to support ‘ethnic and
cultural minority parents’ to become more
involved in their children’s education, and to raise
awareness of the issues faced.

10. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
1010
PEOPLE
PROF LOUISE RICHARDSON
Principal & Vice-Chancellor,
University of St Andrews, is to
be Vice-Chancellor, University of
Oxford from January 2016.
CHARLES KENNEDY
former Rector, University of
Glasgow, has died aged 55.
PROF EKATERINA PAVLOVSKAIA
University of Aberdeen School of
Engineering, has been appointed
Director, Global Subsea
University Alliance.
FIONA SANDFORD
business consultant, London
Business School, will be Chair of
Court, University of Stirling from
August 2015.
MIKE RUSSELL MSP
former Cabinet Secretary Education,
is part-time Prof in Scottish Culture
& Governance, University of
Glasgow.
SIR JOHN HORLOCK
a former Vice-Chancellor, Open
University, has died aged 87.
STUDENTS & APPLICANTS
UCAS published statistics on applicants for
undergraduate places at 18 May:
647,610 applications had been received for UK
institutions (up 2% compared to 2014).
There were 47,490 applicants from Scotland
(up 10%).
Applicant numbers were up 3% from N Ireland,
1% England, 3% non-EU and 8% EU countries;
no change from Wales.
The increase from Scotland is mainly due to the
inclusion of teacher training places not previously
counted in interim figures.
Higher Education Policy Institute and
Higher Education Academy (HEA) published
Student Academic Experience Survey 2015,
detailing the views of 15,129 UK students. 87%
were fairly/very satisfied with the overall quality
of their course. 55% of students in Scotland think
they should contribute to tuition costs (74% in
England). 37% think the government should pay
all tuition fees (22%).
An infographic summarises the main findings.
From 2015/16, bursaries for higher education
students in Scottish households earning up to
£24k will increase by £125. From 2016/17 the
household income threshold for the maximum
bursary will be £19k (up from £17k).
LEARNING, TEACHING & ASSESSMENT
College Development Network launched a
new Leading Change course for college managers,
leading to Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
awards in Leadership and Management. It is part
of the Developing Leaders Programme.
A new Collaborative Leaders’ Programme is also
planned for senior college leaders.
HEA published Grade point average: Report of
the GPA pilot project 2013–14. 21 institutions
including University of Edinburgh, UWS and
Open University tested various GPA scales. The
report ‘recommends the “dual running” of a GPA
system alongside the Honours Degree
Classification’ for up to five years, followed by a
review. Institutions will be able to switch to GPA
as and when they decide it is appropriate.

11. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
1111
HEA’s Embedding Equality & Diversity in the
Curriculum project:
published discipline specific guides for learning
and teaching practitioners. They aim to support
the creation of ‘learning and teaching
experiences and environments that enable all
students to reach their potential’.
is to run a ‘strategic enhancement programme’
in Scotland, including support for participating
institutions and a showcase event at the end.
Expressions of interest will be called for after
the summer.
From October 2015, University of Glasgow
Classics students will be able to take Literacy
through Latin as a credit-bearing course. The
programme involves teaching Latin to local school
pupils with the aim of improving literacy.
Part of the Iris Project’s scheme, it has been
running for volunteers in Glasgow for two years; it
is also offered at other UK universities.
PARTNERSHIPS & AGREEMENTS
Oil & Gas Innovation Centre (OGIC) has
worked with Scottish universities to develop a new
MSc in Oil & Gas Innovation. It will be available
from January 2016 initially at seven universities
coordinated by University of Aberdeen.
A new International Cyber Academy was
launched, led by Edinburgh Napier University
and supported by industry professionals and law
enforcers including the National Crime Agency
and Police Scotland. It will include opportunities
for student learning and funded PhD research. It is
connected to the EU Dynamic Forensics Evaluation
& Training project.
University of Strathclyde signed a
partnership agreement with City of Glasgow,
Glasgow Kelvin and Glasgow Clyde Colleges
offering college students on partnership
programmes a guaranteed place at the university.
Dedicated joint academies will be established in
social sciences, business & enterprise, and digital,
with industry links and placements built in.
An Engineering Academy was set up in 2013.
INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS & COLLABORATION
University of Aberdeen signed an agreement
with local partners to set up an international
campus in Hadong District, South Korea. It will be
supported by Korean Ministry of Trade & Industry
funding and specialise in offshore disciplines.
It is due to open in September 2016.
University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School
of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong
Kong Government. It aims to enable more
exchange programmes and knowledge transfer.
SQA signed an articulation agreement with
University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI)
Canada. SQA HND graduates from elsewhere can
enter second or third year of some UPEI School of
Business and Faculty of Science degree courses.

12. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
1212
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
RGU received £4.5m Wood Foundation
funding, with £3.1m for the Oil & Gas Institute.
The Institute is to create four centres – in drilling,
operations, decommissioning and business
excellence.
Open University launched Facilitating learning
in practice, a free Badged Open Course for
healthcare practitioners. It contributes towards the
OU’s Nursing & Midwifery Council approved
mentorship skills programme.
University of Aberdeen students published
the first issue of The Elphinstone Review, their
own journal to showcase and critique student
research in arts and social sciences.
West Lothian College launched a directory of
new interactive multimedia e-learning courses
available ‘24/7’. Topics include business, health &
safety, housing and healthcare. Online
assessment leads to Certificates of Achievement
on completion; City & Guilds accredited courses
are also available.

13. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
1313
PEOPLE
MAGGIE CUNNINGHAM
is to retire as Chief Executive,
Columba 1400.
ADULT LEARNING
Scotland’s Adult Achievement Awards were
launched by Newbattle Abbey College. They
have been credit-rated at SCQF levels 3, 4 & 6 by
Edinburgh Napier University and will be piloted
amongst different adult groups across Scotland in
2015–16.
The Awards are based on Youth Scotland’s Youth
Achievement Awards.
Impact Arts launched free Craft Café
workshops for those aged over 60 in Renfrewshire
and E Renfrewshire in partnership with FLAIR and
ROAR. They include arts workshops and support
from an artist in residence, providing the
opportunity to learn new skills and develop social
networks.
COMMUNITY LEARNING & VOLUNTEERING
Carnegie UK Trust, CLES, Scotland’s Towns
Partnership and University of Stirling launched
Understanding Scottish Places, a website which
helps people ‘better understand and compare the
places where you work and live’. It was
commissioned by the Scottish Government.
Scottish Book Trust appointed four new
Readers in Residence for E Lothian, W Lothian,
Falkirk and Stirling libraries until April 2016, ‘to
help build reading communities’. The programme
is funded by Creative Scotland.
Students at University of Aberdeen have set
up European University Societies Room to
Read to raise funds for the Room to Read
charity. It supports literacy and gender equality in
education for children in Asia and Africa. Other
universities have already signed up including
Edinburgh and RGU.
Another example of student enterprise.
Community Service Volunteers (CSV) has
changed its name to Volunteering Matters.
YOUTH WORK, YOUTH BANKS
The EC published European Youth Work
Declaration at the 2nd European Youth Work
Convention, five years since the first. The
challenges facing the sector include funding,
recognition and credibility. The Declaration aims
‘to foster further development and stronger
recognition’.
Coalfields Regeneration Trust in Scotland
and YouthBank Scotland are working in
partnership over the next year to set up three
YouthBanks in Cumnock, Cardenden and Alloa.
They are ‘run by young people for young people’,
and each receive a £7k grant for local projects
and training.
Recharge YouthBank Tranent is already operating.

14. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
1414
PEOPLE
LESLIE EVANS
Scottish Government Director
General Learning & Justice, will be
Permanent Secretary from July
2015, replacing Sir Peter Housden.
OLIVIA MCLEOD
Director, Early Years & Childcare,
UK Department for Education, will
be Scottish Government Director
Children & Families, from late
summer.
KAREN ANDERSON
Depute Chief Executive, is Chief
Executive, Care Inspectorate;
Annette Bruton is to be Chief
Executive, Edinburgh College.
ANDREW KERR
Chief Executive, Cornwall Council,
will be Chief Executive, City of
Edinburgh Council, replacing
Dame Sue Bruce in July 2015.
SCOTLAND CAN DO INNOVATION
FORUM MEMBERS
(see below & Annex p.15).
BEN MCKENDRICK
Communications & External Affairs
Director, Myeloma UK, will be Chief
Executive, Scottish Youth
Parliament from July.
SNP GROUP LEADERS, UK
PARLIAMENT
Carol Monaghan MP, Public Services
& Education; Michelle Thomson MP,
Business, Innovation & Skills;
Hannah Bardell MP, Fair Work &
Employment.
GOVERNMENT & BUSINESS
Scottish Government launched the Scottish
Business Pledge and called for businesses to sign
up. Nine action points include investing in youth,
making progress on diversity and gender balance,
committing to an innovation programme and
playing an active role in the community.
Scottish Government is to set up a new Film
Industry Leadership Group, chaired by Creative
Scotland, to support its Film Strategy 2014–17.
Scotland CAN DO Innovation Forum held its
first meeting. Its aims include creating a shared
vision for innovation and stimulating economically
productive links between industry and academia.
Scottish Parliament Economy, Energy &
Tourism Committee published Internationalising
Scottish Business, a report of its inquiry into why
businesses, particularly SMEs, do not export.
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
Scottish Universities Insight Institute
published two policy briefings:
Poverty and Children’s Education; eight key
recommendations include investing in ‘high
quality early years interventions’, and better
mechanisms in schools for ‘timely’
identification of those affected by poverty.
Poverty and Children’s Health & Wellbeing.
According to the Annual Halifax Pocket Money
Survey, in 2015 the average pocket money per
week for children in Scotland is £7.27, up from
£6.73 in 2014 (£6.20 UK average).
National Literacy Trust published Children’s
and Young People’s Reading in 2014, its annual
survey of 32,000 UK 8–18 year-olds, including
2,153 in Scotland. Enjoyment and frequency of
reading are at their highest levels for nine years.
55.2% in Scotland enjoy reading very
much/quite a lot (54.5% UK).
39.9% read daily outside class (41.3% UK).
The Scotland Bill 2015 was published for the
UK Parliament. It includes enabling 16 and 17
year-olds to vote in Scottish Parliament elections.

15. Informed Scotland | Issue 31 | May 2015
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THE SCOTLAND CAN DO INNOVATION FORUM
Chair: John Swinney MSP, Deputy First Minister
Kevin Baughan, Innovate UK
Melfort Campbell, Innovation Scotland Forum *
Donna Chisholm, Highlands & Islands Enterprise
Jamie Coleman, Codebase
Shane Corstorphine, Skyscanner
Cathie Cowan, Health Innovation Partnership Board
James Dunbar, New Start Highland
Richard Erskine, Statoil Technology Invest
Prof Patricia Findlay, University of Strathclyde
Prof Anne Glover, University of Aberdeen
Paul Hagan, Scottish Funding Council
Will Hutton, Big Innovation Centre
Chris van der Kuyl, Entrepreneurial Scotland
Prof Irene McAra McWilliam, Glasgow School of Art
Geoff Mulgan, Nesta
Derek Norwood, Devro plc
Deborah O’Neil, Novabiotics Ltd
Erin Platts, Silicon Valley Bank UK
Ken Scott, Alexander Dennis Ltd
Tracy Shimmield, SRSL
John Waddell, Archangel
Jim Watson, Scottish Enterprise
Not to be confused with the Innovation Scotland Forum, which is chaired jointly by Angela Constance MSP
and Melfort Campbell*.
See the Informed Scotland Innovation Special for a snapshot of what’s happening and links to useful
organisations, publications and projects.