Employability Alliance partnerships with Fairbridge and learndirect scotland, in partnership with Microsoft, Cisco Systems and local and national employers is working in Scotland to enhance the productivity, competitiveness and growth of the Scottish economy by increasing the scale and scope of ICT-based learning and skills acquisition across Scotland.

Through this unique project, the partnership is committed to uplifting the skills of 100,000 Scots and increasing their employability by harnessing the potential of Scotland’s learning infrastructure.

Over the past seven years, learndirect scotland, a public body, has established a network of more than 500 quality-assured, client-focused learning centres. Working with a number of “pathfinder” communitybased learning centres that have direct access to marginalised learners, the initiative will provide them with a range of Microsoft and Cisco curriculum offerings, including Digital Literacies, Office Specialist, A+ hardware maintenance and fundamentals of voice & data cabling.

This pathfinder programme will demonstrate the potential of the branded learning centre network to support and promote industryled employability to key target groups.

Skills for Employability in the 21st Century”, Launch of the UK Chapter of the Skills for Employability Alliance, 29 January 2007, Edinburgh. For more information please contact Ms Helen Lawrie at helen.lawrie@fairbridge.org.uk.

Invitation for Launch Event