National Transition Training Fund (NTTF): year two report

1. Background

At the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, governments across the world were required to implement immediate measures to contain the spread of the virus and alleviate the overall harm caused by the pandemic. Since early 2020, the Scottish Government has sought to respond to both the immediate harm that the Covid-19 pandemic inflicted upon society and its ongoing and lasting impact.

The NTTF was introduced in October 2020 in response to the projected rise of unemployment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Funding was made available to support and provide training to individuals aged 25+ who had been made unemployed or were threatened with redundancy. A total of 9,482 individuals were supported in sectors impacted by the pandemic, such as tourism and hospitality, and in growth sectors such as aerospace diversification and forestry. The final report for Year 1 (2020-2021) can be found here: National Transition Training Fund - Year 1 Report.

As part of our recovery, we recognise that the impact of the pandemic has not been felt evenly – those in society who were already disadvantaged have been affected disproportionality by Covid-19. For this reason, we are committed to rebuilding our economy to be fairer, stronger, and more sustainable. In doing so, we must continue to support our economy in its recovery from the pandemic, but, looking forward, also address the impact of the EU Exit and support future skills needs, including the transition to net zero.

Through Year 2 of NTTF (2021/2022), the Scottish Government aimed to address these challenges. We continued to respond to the impact of the pandemic, while also offering assistance in key sectors affected by EU Exit or sectors with opportunity for growth. Year 2 of the Fund also placed a more significant emphasis on supporting individuals and employers in the transition to net zero, with a package of projects delivered through the Scottish Government's Green Jobs Workforce Academy, launched in August 2021, as one the key commitments in our Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan.

NTTF funding was invested in 33 projects to continue to support individuals and sectors. Based on the learning from Year 1, Year 2 of NTTF took a more sector based approach, offering training provision to support sectors through current and future labour market and skills challenges, as well as continuing to support individuals. Sectors included those that had been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, for example, tourism and hospitality and aerospace/aviation and those where there remains clear growth in jobs such as digital skills or in social care.