The latest figures, from Skills Development Scotland, mark the highest since reports began in 2016.
An annual report indicates that during the period between April 2022 and March 2023, a remarkable 94.3% of young people aged 16 to 19 in Scotland were involved in some form of higher education or employment.
This percentage represents the highest rate ever recorded since the inception of The Annual Participation Measure (APM) in 2016.
The overall increase of 1.9% compared to the previous year is primarily attributed to the growth in the number of young adults employed, which rose from 17.5% in the previous year to 21.4% in 2023.
The disparity between individuals opting for education, employment, or training from the 20% most disadvantaged areas and the 20% least disadvantaged areas narrowed to 8.3%. This is a decrease of one percentage point from the preceding year and marks the smallest gap since the commencement of APM reports.
Furthermore, the proportion of those with an “unconfirmed status” decreased to 2.1%, in contrast to 3.6% in 2022, constituting the lowest reported percentage to date.
The Annual Participation Measure is used to inform policy, planning and service delivery across Scotland, and helps SDS and partners understand the impact and outcomes of their work.