Skills Development Scotland

As Scotland’s skills agency, Skills Development Scotland's (SDS) purpose is to support a productive and inclusive economy by ensuring Scotland’s businesses and people develop the skills they need to achieve their potential.

SDS will do this by working with partners nationally, regionally and locally to ensure:

• All people in Scotland have the skills, information and opportunities they need to succeed in the labour market
• Scotland’s businesses drive productivity and inclusive growth
• Scotland has a dynamic and responsive skills system.

At the heart of this lies the expectations that Skills Development Scotland operates as a highly effective public body working in partnership with others in both the public and private sectors and with communities to improve outcomes, moderate the demand on wider public services and support an inclusive and sustainable economy.

SDS support individuals from all communities through a range of inclusive programmes, to increase their work-based and employability skills, enabling them to take their first steps into the labour market, or to make successful career change and progression. SDS also works directly with employers across the country, providing trusted advice that helps employers invest in existing skills, develop new talent using equal and inclusive recruitment, and get the right products to grow their business.

SDS are aligned with Scottish Government's strategic employability policies including No One Left Behind and The Young Person's Guarantee.

Visit Skills Development Scotland website