There has long been debate about the distinction to be drawn between vocational and academic learning.
However, in Aberdeenshire Council the focus is on what is best for our learners; what will ensure our pupils can achieve their full potential.
That’s why we have embraced Foundation Apprenticeships.
Foundation Apprenticeships offer senior phase pupils the opportunity to mix work-based learning with their other subjects.
Throughout the pandemic, councils, schools, pupils and employers have faced challenges none of us could ever have predicted.
While we take careful steps towards recovery, many pupils are continuing on a journey of work-based learning which has been sustained throughout the past 18 months.
Since becoming a lead provider of Foundation Apprenticeships in 2019, provision has grown from around 30 students in 2018 to now over 440 Foundation Apprentices at SCQF Level 6.
Our approach ensures that Foundation Apprenticeships have parity of esteem with Highers.
This isn’t just in a theoretical or conceptual sense – it’s tangible.
Foundation Apprenticeships are a subject choice offer and are timetabled as a school would any other Higher or senior phase course.
And the impact has been transformational.
Pupils who complete Foundation Apprenticeships are more likely to go on to positive destinations after school, such as Modern or Graduate Apprenticeship jobs, college or university.
Last year, 94.7 per cent of school leavers in Aberdeenshire went on to a positive destination. For school leavers who had completed a Foundation Apprenticeship, this figure increased to 98.1 per cent.
Not only do pupils who complete a Foundation Apprenticeship get a head-start in their career, it also raises overall attainment and helps close the deprivation related attainment gap.
Across all Aberdeenshire school leavers, the average Insight Tariff Points is 940, whilst for pupils who completed a Foundation Apprenticeship, this figure increases by over 50 per cent.
Crucially, this increase is across all socio-economic groups, with school leavers from the most deprived backgrounds seeing the greatest increase in attainment.
Equity and equality of opportunity is vital.
We consider Foundation Apprenticeships to be a universal offer for all pupils, giving them the skills and experience they need to realise their potential.
By providing a more meaningful curriculum and learning pathway for young people, we’ve seen increased engagement from young people learning through Foundation Apprenticeships.
Pupils tell us that they enjoy the balance between the classroom theory and work-based learning which leads to more productive learning.
Schools report back that they are seeing increased re-engagement across other subjects.
The benefits for pupils in Aberdeenshire replicate national trends.
Research shows that pupils choosing Foundation Apprenticeships report improved skills that will not only help them in the future but are helping them now to achieve in their other subjects.
Nationally, of the pupils surveyed completing Foundation Apprenticeships at SCQF level 6, 95 per cent reported improved communication skills; 87 per cent reported improved problem-solving skills and 80 per cent reported increased level of creativity.
In Aberdeenshire, feedback from young people and their parents has been strong; 91 per cent of pupils who completed a Foundation Apprenticeship were satisfied with the experience whilst 92 per cent of parents said they would recommend a Foundation Apprenticeship to others.
The local economy will also see the benefits of work-based learning for senior phase pupils.
Foundation Apprenticeships are fostering stronger links between business and education, helping to ensure that local employers can play a more active role in developing the young workforce.
Across Aberdeenshire, businesses of all sectors and sizes support Foundation Apprenticeships, including food manufacturers Mackie’s of Scotland and construction firm Robertson Group.
They have seen the benefits first-hand and tell us that Foundation Apprenticeships give them the opportunity to inspire the next generation, securing the skills they need for the future.
Looking ahead, we are ambitious.
As a local authority, we see Foundation Apprenticeships and work-based learning at the core of our curriculum offer in Aberdeenshire.
The continued growth of Foundation Apprenticeships is due to the partnership between the council, schools, learning providers and employers.
Our success didn’t happen overnight; it’s a result of hard work and investment.
And it is worth it.
The ambition and commitment behind Foundation Apprenticeships means improved outcomes for young people, the community, and our local economy.
Vincent Docherty is the head of education at Aberdeenshire Council
Related posts
Interviews
Comment
Please mind the gap… or healthcare may fall
Imagine sharing a lengthy train journey with others. From beginning to end, imagine how often you might hear ‘mind the gap’ messages about embarking and disembarking safely. Picture how navigating…
Women Lead: My journey from Dragons’ Den to Silicon Valley
Following her appearance on Dragons’ Den, Sheila Hogan, serial entrepreneur, founder and chief executive of digital legacy vault, Biscuit Tin, shares her experience of her time in the Den and…
Look anywhere – the future is ‘aged tech’. But Scotland needs to be more adventurous
Scottish Care, as the representative body of independent social care providers of care home, care at home and housing support services, has been working over several years with colleagues in…
Women Lead: Engineer turned entrepreneur
We are always fascinated by other people’s stories. It’s how we connect, grow and learn from each other. Until very recently I always felt like I didn’t have a story to tell. Who…
‘Women – together we will change the dynamic in tech’
I was inspired to start a career in technology when personal computers were in their infancy and the internet decades away. My childhood dream of becoming a scientist was shaped by…
It’s time to change the future of tech apprenticeships – and we need your help
In his latest exclusive column for Futurescot, Ross Tuffee, chair of the Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Digital Economy Skills Group, calls on tech employers to get involved in shaping the…
What AI difference a year makes
Amazingly, it’s been one year since the publication of Scotland’s AI Strategy. And what a year it has been. Demanding but rewarding, with good progress made and great foundations laid…
International Women’s Day: It’s time to harness power of women in technology
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I hope to be part of a future where barriers that prevent women from competing on a level playing field in the work environment…