19
The value of college graduates to the Scottish economy, September 2017
Chart 8: Investment criteria when considering investing in regional locations in the UK
0% 10% 20% 30%
Can't say
None
Support from regional economic advisory bodies
Local quality of life (schools, housing, cultural/sporting)
Regional grants access & investment incentives
Strength of business network locally
Telecommunications infrastructure
Strength of local education (trade & academic)
Costs and availability of real estate locally
Local labour costs
Ability of business partners and suppliers
Transport infrastructure
Ability and skills of local workforce
Source EY's UK attractiveness survey 2017, sample (n=453). Two answers possible
Inclusive Growth
Inclusive growth and providing a fair and inclusive jobs market is a key objective of the Scottish
Government. This includes the need to remove long-standing barriers to people being able to fulfil their
economic potential.
Colleges have a key role here. They provide opportunities for people from different backgrounds - and
education qualifications - to up-skill and boost their employment prospects.
As previously stated, the number of students from the 20% most deprived areas as measured by the
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) coming on to college courses has increased year on year.
This figure now stands at 27.7% for full-time higher education and 33.6% for full-time further education for
2015-166.
Evidence has also shown the importance of a workforce that is dynamic and able to adapt to emerging
opportunities to inclusive growth. In this regard, colleges are a key player in the commitment to offer
'Opportunities for All' - and in particular opportunities for those who may face particularly tough barriers
to accessing the labour market.
Colleges are important contributors to developing Scotland's young workforce - something that is vital
given that unemployment rates among 16-24 year olds remain higher than for other age groups. Scotland's
colleges are key in the Young Workforce Programme (Scottish Government, 2014).
Finally, there are colleges right across Scotland offering flexible learning opportunities for people in more
remote and rural locations. This helps to deliver inclusive growth from a regional perspective.
6 SFC Report on Widening Access 2015/16, published 26 Sept 2017