"Scots tech must take advantage of its lead and catch a global eye." https://exceptionuk.com/ Enlightening words from @Exception CEO, Scott McGlinchey in the latest The Institute of Directors issue. Here's his view: #Scotland #tech #digitaltransformation #IoD #Tech #DigitalTransformation #STEM #STEMeducation

1. Technical briefing
Scots tech must take advantage
ofits lead and catch global eye
Let's tell the world about what's great about IT in Scotland - and while
we're at it, let's get our next generation of workers enthused about the
possibilities the sector offers, says industry commentator Bill Magee
Surely the timing is right -if not
significantly overdue -for Scotland to
gather together its abundance of tech
offerings and reboot them as one 'digital
centre-of-excellence' to catch the global
eye?
What we urgently need is a dose of
good old-fashioned leadership
dedicated towards accomplishing the
task.
Some years ago I asked in this column
-amid all the Scots independence/
Devomax/pro-Unionist discussions
(yes, we're there again folks) - if enough
consideration was being given to what
standardof technological infrastructure
Scotland has in place to make its mark
in the international marketplace.
For want of a better description, I
labelled such a single entity as
Scotland's 'TechSuperHub'. So, as the
competition gets more, not less, fierce,
how are we doing at the moment?
Scott McGlinchey, an IoD Fellow, took
time out from his senior role as chief
executive of Exception, Scotland's
largest indigenous market-leading IT
consultancy and services specialist, to
conduct an annual Scottish digital audit,
casting his eye over whether we have
developed a more cost-effective, energy­
efficient greener tech offering yet.
Scott notes that, of late, there has
been much talk about the urgent need
to develop the nextgeneration of tech
leaders andavoidviewing the world, as
Napier University Cyber Academy's
Professor Bill Buchanan puts it, through
rose-tintedglasses.
He fully backs the position that there
remains a great deal of work required
for the tech sector, especially when it
comes to Scotland'seducation system
producing sufficientnumbersof students
withtheright science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM)
and alliedIT skillsmovingforwards.
Scott also agrees with the Scottish
Government's Sarah Davidson, director­
general for organisational development
andoperations, that we can take a
leading role in tech with women at the
forefront, and Scotland's status as a
major tech hub can only be judged
JI
through a global lens.
The country has numerous IT
strengths to be proud of, but in this
digital age, fundamental questions
persist concerning the nature of work
togetherwith relationships and society
at large, and this remains a challenge in
terms of becoming and remaining a
major tech hub.
Forleadership to represent what has
been described as 'meaningful and
sustainedaction', there has to be a
much closer and tighter collaborative
effort all round, with full recognition of
talentand a broadening out of skills
both within and across organisations
irrespective of their size.
The top and bottom of our current
dilemma is we're not attracting enough
young people into STEM subjects.
Professor Buchanan suggests this might
be due to them being put off by the
'engineering'tag.
So we have to become better at
explaining directly to students how
STEM education overallis sovital from
an earlyage, potentiallyopeningthe
door to exciting and creative careers.
Literacy, numeracy and overall
confidence are significantly improved as
such courses provide the specialist
knowledge and skills necessary to work
in the ever-increasing STEM sectorsof
the economy. There are more such
courses than ever to choose to study at
school and college, reflecting the wide
range of careers on offer.
It is up to those who assume a
leadership role to urge, inspire if you
like, young people to think more
creatively about what subjects and
career options they plan to pursue.
Here, Young Scot is in a pivotal
position. As the national youth charity
for 11-26-year-olds providing
information and opportunities for
young people all over Scotland, it is
proving vital towards guiding the digital
generation.
Scott McGlinchey contends this
particularorganisation is key towards
supporting the further development of
STEM-based careers, but he warns that
we must movewith more agility
together with greater local investment.
Over the coming months the charity
plans to workwith key delivery partners
to identify even more opportunities to
maximise the impact of both universal
and bespoke services for young Scots.
As a small nation we certainly possess
the essential dynamic to bring to life a
new national enlightenment. It's time
for Scotlandto take the lead.
"Here, Young Scot is in a
pivotal position.As the
national youth charity for
11-26-year-olds providing
information and
opportunities for young
people all over Scotland,
it is proving vital towards
guiding the digital
generation..."
WWW.IOD.COM
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Real responsibility for
SQA's Modern Apprentices
As Scotland'snational awardingand
accreditation body, SQA provides awide
range of high quality, widelyrecognised
qualifications, enabling individuals and
organisationsto achieve their potential.
As a significant and responsible
employer, SQA has to ensure that young
people taking their first stepsinto the
world of work have realopportunity. That
is why we developed our Pathways
ModernApprenticeship programme.
The SQA's Pathways programme relies
on collaboration: between the employer
SQA, training providers Drumbeat and
Lifelong Learning andEmployability along
with City of Glasgow and Edinburgh
colleges.
At the heart of this partnership is a
cohortof enthusiastic Modern
Apprentices who, over two years with SQA,
gather relevant work experience across a
variety of disciplines-includingfinance,
HR, business systems, and corporate
governance-while completing a Scottish
Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in business
and administration, and a Higher National
Certificate (HNC) in business, obtaining a
blendof academic learningand practical
skills.
Elaine Gourlay, Head of Organisational
Development and Change Management at
SQA, says the advantage of the SQA
Pathways programme is the opportunity
for Modern Apprentices to gain
workplace-based qualificationswith real
transferable value.
Gourlay adds: "Modern Apprentices at
SQA are working members of our teams.
They havemeaningful workwith real
responsibilities and are accountable for
their performance and contribution.
Whilewith us, we ensure they are
supported in their development and are
able to gain the skills and experience they
need to complete their SVQ and HNC."
A strong supportnetworkis vitalto
success. Sarah AnneRooney, SQA
EmployeeDevelopment Programme
Manager, outlines the steps taken to
provide SQA'sModern Apprentices with
the right support.
Rooney explains that while SQAModern
Apprentices complete four 'rotations' in a
varietyof business areas, they work closely
with experienced line managers who help
them develop their skills.
They also work with assessors to help
evidence their skills, and a mentor who
helps them to identify and plan for their
future career aspirations.
WWWIOD.COM
Thoserelationships are crucial. "The
interaction between the line-managers,
the mentor, and the assessor are key to the
apprentice succeeding in their position,"
adds Rooney. "They are responsible for
ensuringthe apprentice knows what they
aredoing and why they are doingit. A
workplace is a very different environment
from school, andModern Apprentices
need additional support to help them
make a success of the transition."
Workingwith independent trainers
such as Drumbeat and Lifelong Learning
and Employability, ensures that the
apprentice receives fair and independent
support throughout their time with SQA.
Aspartof the SQA Pathways
programme, SQA'sModern Apprentices
attendedeither City of Glasgow College or
EdinburghCollege, where they undertake
a part-time HNC in business over two
years.
NicolaDarroch,Curriculum Head at
City of Glasgow College, says: "The SQA
Modern Apprentices came to the college
with a real sense of purpose. The
workplace experience is translating well
into their coursework."
At the centre are the Modern
Apprentices themselves. Lindsey Burke
andAnna McGowan have completed their
first year of theirModern Apprenticeships
in business and administration. Lindsey
workswith Data Solutionsteam, while
Anna works on the IT Service desk.
Both youngwomen had other options
available when they leftschool, but both
felt that a two-yearModern
Apprenticeship would give them the best
start to their careers. Burke comments:
"What the Modern Apprenticeship has
"Modern
Apprenticesat
SQA are working
members of our
teams. They have
meaningfulwork
to do with real
responsibilities
and are
accountable
for their
" "per1ormance...
allowed me to do is to takesome time to
develop my skills and build some
experience. If I want to go to university or
get another position after I've completed
my time with SQA, then I still can."
For the SQA, the successful outcomeof
the Pathways programme is to equip its
Modern Apprentices, such asMcGovern
and Burke, with the skills, experience, and
perhaps most importantly, the confidence
theywill need to build their futures. Sarah
Anne Rooney adds: "AModern
Apprenticeship isn't a guarantee of a
full-time job, howeverthePathways
programme is a demonstration of our
responsibilities and our commitment to
developing the young workforce, to young
people across Scotland.
"It's our responsibility to work in
partnership with colleges and training
providers to offer a commitment to a
youngperson, that we willsupportthem
with theirlearning, wewillprovidethem
withappropriateon-the-jobtraining,and
that wewill give them theopportunity to
achieve recognised, relevant
qualifications."
For more information on how SQA
qualifications support apprenticeships
in Scotland, and our own Pathways
Modern Apprenticeship programme,
visit www.sqa.org.uk/apprenticeships