For some young people, leaving school can feel less like reaching a clear destination and more like stepping into the unknown. As highlighted in The Scotsman by Cyrenians, one of the Moving Forward providers, many young people leave school feeling completely unsure about what comes next.
For employability services, this makes early and effective transition support particularly important. It is also an area where partnership working can make a real difference.
Through Scottish Government No One Left Behind (NOLB) funding, the Edinburgh Local Employability Partnership (LEP) supports Moving Forward, an Edinburgh-wide programme helping young people make successful transitions from school into positive destinations.
Launched in April 2024, Moving Forward is delivered by a network of trusted third sector organisations across seven geographic clusters of the city. The programme supports young people aged 15.5 to 19, and up to 26 for those facing multiple barriers.
Moving Forward is an example of how the LEP network brings together the knowledge, relationships and expertise of different organisations to create more accessible support for young people.
Rather than expecting every young person to navigate services on their own, key workers provide personalised support based on their circumstances, strengths and aspirations. This can include building confidence, exploring education and training, developing employability skills and supporting young people towards employment.
One participant described how important that support from Cyrenians was:
“I genuinely felt like I was the only person feeling this lost. It turns out I wasn’t. So many young people come out of school feeling completely unsure about what to do next.” (Read original article here)
The programme recognises that progression does not always begin with a job application. For some young people, the first step might be building confidence, reconnecting with others or understanding the options available to them.
Another participant explained:
“The group has been a really good way to get me oot the hoose. After years of feeling isolated, it’s been a place where I could meet people and learn how to interact with others more easily.” (Read original article here)
Moving Forward’s strength comes from the way organisations across the LEP network work together, connecting their support to create a more joined-up experience.
By working across seven geographic clusters, partners can build on their local knowledge and relationships while contributing to a city-wide approach. This helps ensure that young people can access support that reflects their individual circumstances and the communities they live in.
That is ultimately what the LEP network is working towards: making sure young people have the relationships, support and opportunities they need to take their next step.
For more information on Moving Forward and to refer potential young people visit the Moving forward page.
By Direct Partners Training Provider
The way we think about professional development is changing. For years, upskilling meant stepping out of the workplace: a course, a university, a career break. But as digital transformation reshapes virtually every industry, Scotland’s workforce is discovering a more practical alternative: learning where you already are.
At Direct Partners, that’s exactly what we’ve built our model around.
The numbers are hard to ignore. According to Scottish Enterprise’s 2025 Skills Squeeze report, 56% of Scottish businesses currently report skills shortages — and 39% expect the situation to worsen over the next five years. (Source: OU Skills Barometer, cited in Scottish Enterprise Megatrends 2025.)
The demand for data-literate, digitally capable employees is growing faster than traditional training routes can keep pace with. Businesses across Scotland are navigating this challenge every day, watching roles evolve and wondering how to equip their teams without pulling people away from the work that keeps things running.
We believe Scotland’s digital skills gap is a solvable problem. Our goal is to connect ambitious employees with nationally recognised qualifications, without the cost or career disruption that usually comes with it.
Work-based learning is exactly what it sounds like: your job becomes the learning environment. Rather than studying hypothetical scenarios in a classroom, learners apply new skills directly to their everyday responsibilities. Evidence is gathered from real workplace tasks, making the qualification both meaningful and immediately useful.
Direct Partners delivers Skills Development Scotland (SDS) funded digital and tech qualifications, accredited by Qualifications Scotland at SCQF Levels 7 and 8. For eligible employees in Scotland, the training is fully funded, with zero cost to the learner.
We currently offer three in-demand tech qualifications, each designed to align with roles that already exist in your place of work:
Data Analytics (SCQF Level 8): For anyone working with data, reporting, or business insight. Learners cover the full analytics pipeline using Python, from managing and transforming data through to visualisation and decision-making.
Digital Marketing (SCQF Level 7): For those already active in marketing, social media, or content. This qualification formalises and strengthens existing skills across SEO, analytics, and digital strategy.
Software Development (SCQF Level 8): For those working within a coding team. A technically demanding qualification covering design, build, testing, methodology, and the full development lifecycle.
Each qualification takes around 12 months to complete, with a flexible, supported approach. Learners have monthly one-to-one remote sessions with their trainer, self-paced study materials, and progress reviews every 13 weeks, involving the learner, trainer, and line manager.
The programme is open to employees in paid employment with a business based in Scotland, where the chosen qualification is relevant to their current role. Manager support is required throughout, which is not a heavy commitment, but an acknowledgement that the learning is happening with the business, not away from it.
Digital transformation isn’t coming… it’s already here. With over half of Scottish businesses already feeling the pressure, and nearly four in ten bracing for it to intensify, the window to get ahead is now, not later.
For businesses, the question is no longer whether their teams need tech skills, but how to develop them without disruption. For employees, this is a rare opportunity to gain a recognised qualification, at no cost, without putting their career on hold.
Work-based learning doesn’t ask you to choose between your job and your development. It makes them the same thing.
Direct Partners is an award-winning training provider based in Edinburgh, delivering SDS-funded tech qualifications across Scotland. To find out more or check eligibility, visit directpartners.co.uk or call 0131 600 0820.
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