A smoother transition from school to college - along with a broader vocational offer in the senior phase of secondary school - is one of the key goals of an ongoing government review into the “learner journey”.

Now a new scheme is giving the first glimpse of how these goals could be achieved.

The Future Skills College, which launched earlier this month, will, it is hoped, provide a direct route into the workplace for hundreds of young people in Dundee and Angus. Launched by Dundee and Angus College alongside Angus and Dundee City councils and local employers, it is open to pupils attending any of Dundee’s schools, and four Angus secondary schools.

Most of the college’s first intake of 30 young people are in S6, while some are in S5. They will all be offered a guaranteed modern apprenticeship place upon completion of the one-year course. For the next year, they will spend four days each week on college premises, with the fifth day spent working with an employer committed to offering them an apprenticeship at the end of the year.

The young people are split equally across three different sectors: plumbing, electrical and early education and childcare. Unlike with other pre-apprenticeships, they will stay on the school roll throughout.

Two of the students’ college days will be spent working towards school qualifications such as National 5 or Highers, with two dedicated teachers employed by Dundee City Council. On the other two college days, they will study pre-apprenticeship courses in their chosen field, taught by college lecturing staff.

Huge potential

Laurie O’Donnell, director of the Future Skills College, told Tes Scotland: “The main aim is to smooth the transition from education to employment for young people, but it will also support employers through the process of developing their own young workforce. Future Skills College is employment demand-led, with students recruited exclusively on the basis of actual vacancies identified by local employers for apprentices or trainees.”

Staying on the school roll ensures government funding will continue and helps to fund the college, said Mr O’Donnell. While no specific students are being targeted, he said the Future Skills College will give “clear focus” to young people who may not be pursuing a university place.

There is significant potential for the scheme to grow, he added: “The intention is that the Future Skills College will scale up to around 200 students per year by 2020-21.” Over six years, it aims to secure 800 sustainable jobs for young people locally. Grant Ritchie, principal of Dundee and Angus College, called the scheme “potentially life-changing”. The college is contributing space, monitoring teachers and liaising with employers.

Paul Clancy, of Dundee City Council, said staying on the roll was key for learners. “Many think they need to be in school and if they are not, they are doing something that is second-best,” he said. Parents also know their child will move into employment, he added.

Pauline Stephen, head of schools and learning at Angus Council, said the model had come about in response to some of the “issues” associated with the current Foundation Apprenticeship model, which “has seen some young people finding it difficult to sustain attendance at both college and school”.