Skills for a Changing World

The world is experiencing a historic transformation in how people work, where they work and even why they work.

The skills we each need to enter and progress in work are changing too. As we face an unpredictable and rapidly evolving future, continuing to develop the right skills in response to this change will be critical for us all. The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly impacted the economy, labour market and society and new economic challenges are emerging.

In the three years since we published Skills Development Scotland’s (SDS)’s last Strategic Plan, none of us could have predicted the seismic societal and economic changes that would occur in that time – the future became now.

The climate emergency has moved from threat to a pressing reality, inequality and poverty have deepened and, against a backdrop of spiraling inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, economic growth will be hard fought for in the coming years.

Presently, the economic outlook for Scotland and the UK is stark. High inflation, the cost-of-living crisis, and fiscal upheaval all contribute to an increasingly uncertain and challenging financial position for both individual households and businesses in the coming months.

Our strategic operating context continues to be shaped by these and a wider range of interconnected drivers of change.

The newly launched SDS strategic plan ‘Skills for a Changing World’ sets out a bold vision for an agile, dynamic, employer led skills and career ecosystem. We are committed to acting responsibly, collaboratively and sustainably to meet the evolving needs of our customers – ensuring they have skills for a changing world.

To mark the launch of our new strategic plan, SDS Chair, Frank Mitchell, visited global infrastructure consulting firm, AECOM, to meet with apprentices and staff. See the video here.

Find out more here: Skills for a Changing World | Skills Development Scotland