National Transition Training Fund (NTTF): year two report

6. Equality

In considering how we achieve a fair and equal society, the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) sets out the ambition: ‘to create a society that is thriving across economic, social and environmental dimensions, and that delivers prosperity for all Scotland's people and places. A fair and equal society and a wealthier, greener economy are mutually reinforcing.’

In Year 1 of the NTTF, insufficient levels of consistent data were collected across the projects to report on equality. In Year 2, we have addressed this through ensuring a more consistent approach to gathering data as far as was possible across the projects. Providing such data remains entirely voluntary and we do not have data covering all participants. However, sufficient information has been received to offer a view across NTTF, and in particular to highlight areas where we have seen positive outcomes for equality groups.

Data on pregnancy or maternity was not gathered. We are unable to report on gender re-assignment or sexual orientation as the data is not sufficient. In addition, information on religion is very low, although reported below. As a key Scottish Government priority, data on those with care experience has also been reported although again, proportionately few participants provided information on this.

Programme wide equality data

Sex

Of the 15,474 people who completed this part of the application form, 53% participants were male, and 43% were female. 4% preferred not to say or were non-binary/transgender.

Age

Of the 12,186 individuals who provided this information and whose data could be included:

• 23% were aged up to 29;
• 34% were aged 30-39;
• 25% were aged 40-49; and
• 18% were aged 50+

Some projects collected data across different age groups so their information has not been included here.

Disability

Of the 11,260 individuals who provided this information, 15% were disabled.

Race

Of the 11,240 people who provided this information, 12% were from a minority ethnic group.

Religion or belief

Of the 4,366 individuals who provided this information, most (60%) indicated no religion. 32% were Christian, 6% were Muslim. 2% reported ‘other religion’ while 1% were Hindu and 1% were Sikh. Numbers for the Jewish faith were too low to report.

Other Scottish Government priorities

Care experience

Of the 5,521 individuals providing this information, 7% reported experience of care.

Areas of multiple deprivation.

Of the 10,140 individuals whose data could be processed, 40% lived in the two most deprived Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintiles in Scotland.

Summary

It is difficult to interpret data at a high level across such varied projects. The absence of data for some groups in itself highlights an ongoing issue for skills provision and one which we know we must continue to try to address. In addition, as there was insufficient data to report from Year 1, we cannot compare progress.

However, a number of projects were specifically designed to support those facing disadvantage in the labour market, such as LEAD Scotland, the Workers Education Association and one of the NMIS projects. As has been noted this report, they have been successful in delivering provision to help tackle inequality, or in the case of NMIS, attract more women and people from minority ethnic groups into a sector with a traditionally white male workforce. The NMIS work with organisations like Equate will continue as part of its work to bring diversity to the workforce of this key sector.

As the reform of post school education progresses, it will continue to be important to monitor equality data not just in terms of numbers participating but the courses they are undertaking, for example in continuing to tackle the gender imbalance across skills which is part of broader occupational segregation issues in Scotland.