As part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week 25, partners across Renfrewshire introduced a hands on initiative designed to challenge perceptions and broaden awareness of apprenticeships among senior phase pupils.

Many young people are unsure about apprenticeships or may not have considered them as a career path. To change that, pupils were given the opportunity to spend a day with an employer, shadowing an apprentice to gain real insight into what the role entails. They learned about entry routes, qualifications, salary expectations and the key skills employers look for.

This initiative was made possible through the collaboration of Skills Development Scotland, Renfrewshire Council and DYW West, with support from several leading employers across targeted sectors:

Logistics & Transport: The Malcolm Group
Construction: City Gate Construction Ltd, Taylor Wimpey Plc, Thomas Johnstone Ltd
Early Years: Renfrewshire Council (Foxlea Nursery)
Engineering & Manufacturing: Howden, Rolls-Royce, Altrad UK, Scottish Leather Group
Automotive: Arnold Clark

Students from Park Mains High School, Gryffe High School, Castlehead High School and Linwood High School took part and were awarded certificates by their host employer and apprentice as recognition of their participation.

Following the success of this initiative in Renfrewshire, Skills Development Scotland has published an article on the impact of the project and is encouraging more employers to get involved. If your company has an apprentice and would be interested in offering a similar experience, please register your interest via the link below.

A huge thank you to all the employers who welcomed pupils into their workplaces and to Suzie Scott, Michael Morgan, Yvonne Ward and Emma Stockan for their support in making this initiative happen.

The best way to challenge misconceptions about apprenticeships is through real experiences like this. Providing young people with direct exposure to the workplace helps them see the opportunities available and the value apprenticeships can offer.

Read the full SDS article
Employers: Get involved across Scotland

East Renfrewshire Council is inviting local businesses to their Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Employer Breakfast on Thursday 8th May 2025.

This event will be held at Eastwood House, Windsor Suite – Ballroom and offers a valuable opportunity to connect with education professionals and discuss how you can support the future workforce.

To register for the event, please contact : vocationalprogramme@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

Barclays recently welcomed around 80 pupils from Renfewshire schools to their Glasgow campus for their "B in Tech" event.

This event, previously delivered for pupils across the West Region, encourages young people to consider Computer Science as a National 4 or 5 subject and highlights the exciting career pathways in the tech industry.

Throughout the day, pupils took part in interactive activities, offering a fun, hands on look at the endless possibilities a future in tech can offer.

A huge thank you to the Barclays team for delivering such an engaging and insightful event, with one more session still to come!

We are planning for Scottish Apprenticeship Week which takes place from 3rd-7th March!

This is a great opportunity for your organisation to showcase your apprenticeship pathways into your company/sector.

We are looking for employers who would be interested in taking part in the following:

Social media campaign - Apprenticeship photo opportunity. To take part please send us a picture of your apprentices and your logo. This picture will then be used on our social media platforms throughout SAW week.

Talks & Tour of your company with school pupils - Would you be interested in hosting a talk and tour of your workplace for any of our local schools? Transport will be covered by schools.

If you're interested in taking part in either of the above please email info@dywwest.co.uk

What a fantastic last session of 2024 for our Digital Futures Academy with DXC Technology!

The pupils enjoyed incredible VR sessions, with DXC, & AR session, with Sight and Sound Technology, followed by a festive Christmas party with movies and games!

A massive thank you to everyone at DXC for organising and to Sight and Sound for their AR session 

In January 2025, DYW will celebrate ten years of Developing the Young Workforce through our #DYWDecade social media campaign. 

Help celebrate by sharing how DYW has helped you, your organisation, or young people you support. 

Share your experiences from 13th-31st January 2025, alongside the #DYWDecade hashtag.

Get involved: https://buff.ly/3D3Hmn4

Today we had 52 pupils attend DXC Technology for the latest Digital Futures Academy session.

The focus was on building essential personal skills, and what better way to do that than with an engaging Murder Mystery experience?

Huge thanks to Julie Greer and Kenny Morrison from West College Scotland for leading such a fantastic session!

The pupils worked together to crack a thrilling case, honing teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and analytical thinking. They even got a glimpse into the cutting-edge technology used in forensic and crime investigations. 

Thank you to Michelle Muirhead and the amazing team at DXC for organizing another memorable session.

STEM West 24 has come to a close, and what an incredible two days it’s been!

We had a fantastic time with hands-on activities, inspiring employers, and secondary school pupils fully immersing themselves in the world of STEM. A big thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event unforgettable!

A special thanks to West College Scotland for hosting us. Over 850 pupils attended, engaging with 60 exhibitor tables and the exciting Arnold Clark van.

We can’t wait to see you again next year!

This month, Barclays hosted their "B in Tech" event at their Glasgow campus, welcoming around 90 pupils from East Renfrewshire schools.
The aim was to inspire students to consider Computer Science as a National 4 or 5 subject and explore future careers in technology.

Students enjoyed a series of engaging activities, including myth-busting quizzes to challenge common misconceptions about tech careers, a hands-on Microcoding session to demonstrate the accessibility of coding at home, and a Sphero Mini Golf coding activity where they navigated a mini golf course using code written on their phones.

The event offered a fun, practical insight into the possibilities of a future in tech.

A massive thank you to everyone at Barclays who made this day such a success!

What an incredible experience we had today attending JP Morgan’s Early Careers event at their Glasgow office!

We had the chance to hear from inspiring apprentices about their journeys and life as a JP Morgan apprentice, followed by a tour of their impressive state-of-the-art building.

A big thank you to JP Morgan for hosting us and to the apprentices who shared their valuable insights!