Scotland's colleges are fighting for their survival - but this is where there is hope
The lack of core government funding is threatening colleges, writes Jim Brown
Friday marked my final day as director of Energy Skills Partnership (ESP). Since our inception in 2011, ESP’s mission has been simple: to connect employers with colleges, ensuring Scotland has the skilled workforce needed for energy, engineering, construction and transport.
Scotland undoubtedly has incredible potential to lead the world in renewable energy. Offshore wind alone could create tens of thousands of jobs and billions in investment, with current investment plans amounting to £40 billion in the pipeline, which could lead to up to 60,000 jobs by 2030.
Yet, after 14 years at the helm of ESP, I fear the lack of core government investment into colleges is now risking these opportunities. As a college educated boy from Lochee myself, I know from personal experience the benefits of a college education – and where it can take you – and I’m very aware of the problems we are storing up by not investing this most industry-focused part of our education system.
The skills gap in Scotland is stark:
- Engineering needs to grow by 58 per cent by 2027, requiring 150 technicians for every 100 employed today, with an identified need to double the number of apprentices;
- Construction must recruit nearly 18,000 new workers annually over the next four years;
- A recent survey shows 25 per cent of employers have vacancies – up from 11 per cent in 2020.
These shortages aren’t just technical. HR, finance, communications, marine, transport and logistics roles are all equally critical.
Global companies clearly want to invest in Scotland, but too often we don’t have the workforce ready to take advantage of these opportunities, so employers feel they need to import labour from abroad, meaning Scotland is not maximising the economic benefit of these investments.
Scotland’s 24 colleges should be the collective skills engine driving this net zero transformation, and I have been pleased to play my part representing the college sector at forums such as the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council where I was the skills lead.
Indeed, the government’s recently published Offshore Wind Skills Priorities and Action Plan, that I was delighted to be part of, has made it clear that the vast majority of priority job roles for the sector are all delivered at a college level.
These roles include installation and maintenance electricians, metal working production and maintenance fitters, wind turbine technicians, engineering technicians, and marine and waterways transport operatives – to name but a few.
But instead of expanding to meet industry needs, what I can see on a daily basis is that colleges are fighting for survival.
College funding has fallen 20 per cent in real terms since 2021, student numbers are down by 12.4 per cent and staff cuts have hit almost 9 per cent.
At a time when colleges need more investment to respond to this once-in-a-generation economic opportunity, they’re getting less.
There is some hope.
The Scottish Government invested £3 million this year in college provision to support the sector. However, there needs to be a more strategic approach.
My hope is simple: in the draft Budget, which comes to the Scottish Parliament in January, all political parties demand more funding for colleges and investment in skills.
Scotland can lead the world in clean energy – but only if we invest in colleges and in our college students.
Let’s ensure future generations, like my own grandkids, are able to say that Scotland led the green skills revolution, not could have led it.
- Jim Brown is the outgoing director of Energy Skills Partnership, the college sector agency in Scotland for energy transition, zero carbon transport, engineering, construction and STEM.
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