PLANS to change the face of youth training across Scotland were

presented yesterday by Industry Minister Allan Stewart and Scottish

Enterprise's chief executive, Crawford Beveridge.

The Skillseekers programme, following successful pilot schemes

throughout Scotland, will involve 16 and 17-year-old school-leavers

agreeing training with employers, leading to qualifications which are

recognised across Europe.

The #90m plan, claimed by Mr Stewart to be the most radical change to

youth training in Scotland in the past 30 years, will mean youngsters,

at various stages of their training, using a personalised credit card to

authorise payments to employers. The idea is to create a sense of

involvement.

A Skillseekers account will be issued and, as each milestone is

reached, the trainee will use a card or chequebook to authorise payment

for training received. If dissatisfied, or wishing to change route,

support systems will be in place.

About 300 business people watched a video presentation extolling the

benefits of the scheme, fronted by comedian Craig Ferguson.

Mr Stewart said he was committed to providing training and work

experience for every 16 and 17-year-old not in full-time work or further

education.

The programme would be aimed at Glasgow, Renfrewshire, and Ayrshire

after a successful pilot scheme by Scottish Enterprise over the past

three years in Grampian and more recently Dunbartonshire. Mr Stewart

hoped it could be introduced in all 13 local enterprise company areas by

the end of next year.

He said the programme was not an admission that the YTS programme,

seen by some trainees as cheap labour, had failed. It was a sign that

training ''must move on -- to meet the demands of the market-place''.

It would bring employers, large and small, back into the

decision-making process about training, giving them hands-on

involvement, he said.

Mr Beveridge said quite definite patterns had emerged in Grampian to

underline the success of the pilot scheme.

The numbers of young people who progressed through training in

employment had risen from 32% to 95%; 95% of trainees were now working

towards vocational qualifications against the previous 50%, and 2000

companies as opposed to 600 were now involved in training schemes.

Mr Henry McLeish, Labour's depute Shadow Scottish Secretary, described

the scheme as ''nothing more than a gimmick''.

He claimed that almost 12,000 youngsters under the age of 18 in

Scotland were out of work, with 7000 of those receiving no benefits and

no training.

Mr McLeish challenged Mr Stewart to ''come clean'' on youth training

figures. He said significant new investment in quality apprenticeships

for every young Scot not in further education or work was needed. He

also called for a radical shake-up of Scottish Enterprise and the local

enterprise companies which he claimed had failed them.