Scotland's careers strategy: moving forward

9. Next Steps

Our vision is for an easy to access careers system which targets those who face the most challenges whilst remaining responsive to the needs of all those who seek to access services throughout their lives. The evolution of our careers system will require real collaboration and shared ownership across all partners, and each enhancement and new connection established will be shaped around our collective aim to challenge inequality. 

Delivering our vision will require realistic short, medium and long term goals which we will work with partners to shape and refine. 

Immediate actions:

• Establish a pan-sectoral body which will facilitate the development of an overarching implementation plan. 
• Take stock of our current services, delivery approaches and quality approaches across the system and map these against the vision and ambition of the strategy.

Medium-term actions:

• Publish an Implementation plan by end of 2020 which will set out the enhancements needed across the system to realise the strategy’s vision. The plan will be structured to articulate how each part of the system will respond. This collaborative approach, led by delivery partners, will articulate what full implementation looks like in each delivery setting, whilst providing a realistic timescale for implementation.
• Work collaboratively to enhance digital services to truly reflect the needs of service users of all ages, including greater alignment between digital services and platforms to ensure users are directed seamlessly to the portal or service that best fits their circumstances.

Long-term actions:

• Support the adoption of a national model for delivering career services by all partners and that services will be delivered and quality assured in line with shared principles, language and focus on personal development. This will bring consistency, coherence and greater strategic direction to CIAG delivery.
• Embed a continuous improvement approach to delivering future service enhancements across the system so we can ensure their affordability and sustainability, making the most of our limited resources.

Commitment to Equality and Diversity

In developing implementation plans, we will consult with equality groups and service users, ensuring appropriate consideration is given to how delivery of the services will also address issues around gender stereotyping, inequality, fair opportunities for all, health and well-being in order to deliver our commitments within our Fair Work, Skills, Disability, Gender Pay Gap and Race Equality action plans, in keeping with the Public Sector Equality Duties.

In line with Scottish Government guidelines, relevant impact assessments will be conducted, where appropriate, during the development of each action stemming from the implementation plan.

This strategy has been written by the Scottish Government in collaboration with a strategic steering group formed of delivery partners within the careers system, representation on that steering group included:

Colleges Scotland, Department of Work and Pensions, Edinburgh Napier University, Education Scotland, National Union of Students Scotland, Skills Development Scotland, Student Partnerships in Quality Scotland (SPARQS), the Association of Graduate Career Advisory Services (AGCAS), the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA Scotland), the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Partnership, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the UK Career Development Institute (CDI), Unison, the University of the West of Scotland, Universities Scotland - with specialist expert input from Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE.

Further enquiries or considerations in relation to this document or the forthcoming implementation process should be sent to: sgcareersstrategy@gov.scot