More Modern & Foundation Apprentices
More than £100 million funding to support Modern and Foundation Apprenticeships in 2025-26 has been confirmed by Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth.
Contracts will now be issued by Skills Development Scotland to employers, training providers and colleges for Modern Apprenticeship starts and learning providers for Foundation Apprenticeship starts.
The Education Secretary made the announcement following a visit to mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
Funding for Modern and Foundation Apprenticeship starts is part of the £202.3 million provided to SDS in the 2025-26 budget, approved by the Scottish Parliament on 25 February 2025. Around £102.5 million of this will be deployed to maintain the existing numbers of apprentices of approximately 25,500 Modern Apprenticeship starts and around 2,500 Foundation Apprenticeship starts.
This is in addition to a further 2,500 Foundation Apprenticeships and around 1,200 Graduate Apprenticeships funded through the Scottish Funding Council. This will ensure that as much demand as possible for Modern Apprenticeships is met from within the SDS budget.
In total, the Scottish Government will provide £185 million investment to deliver apprenticeships to SDS, Scottish Funding Council and SAAS in 2025-26. Ministers will work with SDS on ensuring appropriate sectoral coverage to help address evidenced skills gaps.
Funding for @skillsdevscot to deliver over 25,000 Modern and 2,500 Foundation Apprenticeships has been confirmed by Education Secretary @JennyGilruth.
— ScotGov Education (@ScotGovEdu) March 7, 2025
It means contracts can now be issued to employers, training providers and colleges.https://t.co/gmbguAi4dQ#ScotAppWeek25 pic.twitter.com/1kyWPNivYT
Investment by the SNP has seen around 400,000 apprenticeships provided to young people since 2008.
GRAEME
Our latest funding commitment makes clear they will continue to be a central pillar of our education and skills plan going forward.
Feedback from employers indicates that there are key skills gaps – and we are aiming to focus investment on apprenticeships in sectors facing labour market shortages.
This will provide employment, vital new skills, and help to grow the economy.
Supporting apprenticeships is just one part of the £2 billion we are investing each year in colleges, universities and the wider skills system, recognising the vital role they play in education and the economy.
What an evening!
— Skills Development Scotland (@skillsdevscot) March 6, 2025
MSPs from across the country met with almost 100 apprentices at the SDS apprenticeship showcase at @ScotParl last night.
Sponsored by @PamGosalMSP, the event brought together apprentices, employers, learning providers and business leaders #ScotAppWeek25 pic.twitter.com/2Ox2RKR5Ch
Created by employers, for employers, apprenticeships are crucial to unlocking economic opportunity in growth sectors.
CHAIR OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SCOTLAND, FRANK MITCHELL
With demand from employers and young people remaining strong, SDS will continue working to maximise apprenticeship starts aligned to industry need within its available budget.
Apprenticeships foster innovation, economic growth, and new opportunities whilst providing great social return, generating opportunities for many young people from Scotland’s most deprived communities.
