GOOD pay is the most important factor for young people in their future job or career, according to new research.
The study by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) explored the views of young people aged 11-18 years, specifically focusing on their plans after school, key influencers and their views and perceptions of careers.
Findings showed that when considering their future careers, good pay was by far the most important factor for young people, with job satisfaction a distant second.
Young people are also influenced by their strengths and interests when considering what to do after school.
Over 1500 young people participated in the research, which also found that being hard working and having the right qualifications are what young people think employers are most looking for from their employees.
James Russell, Director of Career Information, Advice and Guidance Operations at SDS said: “These findings are fascinating, and while they may not be surprising given the current cost of living crisis, it is important that we continue to encourage and support young people to identify the career or careers that will give them job satisfaction, offer them varied and interesting roles and a sense of being valued at work.
“We want people working in Scotland to be happy, fulfilled and realising their potential.
“If you’re in a job that gives you a sense of self-worth, where you can use and build on your strengths, see all your options and the people that can help you to grow, develop and move on, you will be happy at work.
“Those are the skills SDS careers advisers are working with people across the country to develop.”
The Young People in Scotland research was carried out between September and December 2022 with views gathered from a representative sample of 1533 young people across Scotland.
The fieldwork was undertaken by Ipsos Scotland with SDS’s Evaluation and Research team producing the analysis and outputs.
These findings have generated insightful discussion among SDS colleagues and informed further deep dive analysis of the findings.
They will also be used by Scottish Government colleagues to add value to their evidence base and inform policy development.
The study also found that the sectors that young people consider going into vary by gender, with males considering careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and sport, and females considering caring or creative careers.
James added: “This study of young people is one of several that SDS has produced that again reinforces the need for much earlier intervention and exposure to jobs, opportunities and industry experiences from a young age.
“We know from all the work that went into the Career Review that there are clear gender differences in the sectors to which young people aspire and these are often engrained from an early age.
“Our careers advisers are alert to the impact of gender stereotyping and ensure that they challenge any preconceived ideas that young people have about job roles and recognise that this needs to happen earlier, before these stereotypes have had time to form.”
For employers of all sizes across Scotland, the findings offer a valuable insight into the motivations of their potential future workforce as they look to attract new recruits.
Taking place from 13-17 November, Scottish Careers Week provides an opportunity for employers to highlight the careers they have available for young people and how they help existing employees develop new skills.
That could involve engaging with schools and colleges to offer local workplace visits, networking events, careers fairs, work placements, mentoring or skills demonstrations.
Employers can also get involved with local schools to help build young peoples’ job readiness and grow their knowledge of the world of work, both during Scottish Careers Week and beyond.
It gives employers the chance to raise awareness of who they are and what they do and gives employees a sense of achievement in helping young people, and for businesses looking to build relationships with local schools, their local Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) group can provide support.
Employers can also use the week to highlight the career development opportunities they offer their existing workforce, whether it’s through training, work experience, mentoring, apprenticeships, CPD or career progression.
Sharon McIntyre, SDS’s Head of Career Information, Advice and Guidance Operations, pictured above, said: “Employers across Scotland have been crucial to the success of our Scottish Careers Week campaigns, and we hope to welcome many more this year to host and support events which encourage people to explore exciting career opportunities.”
Visit myworldofwork.co.uk/scottish-careers-week to find out more about how to get involved in the week
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Look to the future and work towards Net Zero targets
MOVING Scotland’s homes to low-carbon sources of heating is a key element in the country reaching its Net Zero targets.
Figures show 2.25 million homes in Scotland need to make the change, with 895,000 of those defined as tenements.
Skills are an essential part of that challenge, with training for a wide range of professionals required to meet targets.
Historic Environment Scotland offer training in energy efficiency measures for older and traditional buildings, aimed at a wide range of sectors with roles to play including contractors, installers, architects and surveyors.
According to Moses Jenkins, Sector Skills Manager at Historic Environment Scotland who teaches the course, Scotland won’t reach Net Zero without it.
He said: “The course covers the basic principles of making traditionally constructed buildings energy efficient with a focus on insulation, window improvement and how to bring in renewable technology, as well as an understanding of how to balance that work with the heritage of the building.
“Any measures that are introduced need to work for the building itself, or you could end up with mould and decay problems.
“Even something like insulating a loft, it may seem like an obvious way to improve heat retention, but if not planned and installed carefully it can risk condensation, causing moisture levels to rise in roof timbers potentially leading to rot and decay.”
The course takes 16 candidates at a time and is having a big impact on participants.
Jonathan Bourke, Director of Retrofit at Harvey Donaldson & Gibson chartered surveyors, completed the training in spring 2022.
Jonathan coordinates retrofit projects from colleagues across the country, checking the quality of submissions and ensuring best practice.
He said: “It drove home to me that you can’t prescribe one way to retrofit a building, every building and home is unique and used differently by its occupants, that’s especially true when you look at older housing stock.
“You have to look at the building’s overall heritage, setting and location, to ensure energy efficiency installations suit each building.”
Elaine Ellis, Skills Development Scotland Skills Planning Manager for Construction, said: “We will need a highly skilled workforce to make improvements to traditional buildings which includes many of our flats and houses, including our iconic tenements, to get them ready for net zero. Upskilling the existing workforce and bringing in a future workforce is equally important.
“There are many challenges given the nature of the construction industry but we continue to work closely with partners across the historic environment to support skills planning, including working with Historic Environment Scotland to update a skills action plan to support the built heritage sector through multiple areas including apprenticeships and career awareness.”
Moses added: “I think when we talk about heritage buildings or traditional building stock, people often think of castles and listed buildings. Nineteen percent of our domestic stock is traditionally constructed, that’s around one in five houses.
“These buildings are a tremendous resource that have lasted in excess of a hundred years, so there’s no reason why with energy efficiency improvements they can’t provide safe, warm homes for another century and beyond.”
This article was brought to you in assocation with Skills Development Scotland
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