Progress on the number of Dundee school leavers sustaining positive destinations has been welcomed by senior councillors.
They also stress that the strong local partnerships to support pupils will be needed more than ever to help deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest statistics confirm a ten year high for the number of former city pupils who were attending college or university, or were in work or training, nine months after they had left school. Scottish Government figures show that 91.7% of 2018-19 Dundee school leavers remained in a positive destination, a rise from 89.8% in 2017-18.
City council children and families service convener Cllr Stewart Hunter said: “I am pleased to see an increase in the number of young people who have sustained a positive destination.
“Continued diversification of the curriculum by schools, including greater diversity of senior phase options in vocational learning, continues to support such improvement.
“There has also been a rise in the numbers of leavers from the most deprived parts of the city who are achieving this, which is great news.
“I know that our strong local partnerships have played a significant role in these outcomes, as have our teaching staff. This support will be needed more than ever as we assist young people to deal with the impact of the pandemic going forward.”
City development convener Councillor Alan Ross added: “I am impressed by the way that Skills Development Scotland, employability agencies and bodies like Dundee & Angus College come together to encourage our pupils to find the best pathway for them when they leave school.
“Obviously, the coronavirus crisis is presenting significant challenges for our young people, but I am heartened by the commitment of all those involved in providing continued expert assistance.”
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
