Writing on the 10th of January 2018, the Scotsman headlined:
‘Scotland youth unemployment target met four years ahead of schedule’
then went on to write:
‘The goal of reducing the youth unemployment total, excluding full time students, by 40 per cent was achieved last year. The target was confirmed in the annual progress report on the Scottish Government’s Developing the Young Workforce programme.’
The Scotsman report doesn’t mention the actual reduction in youth unemployment. It was 48.3% against a target of 40%. They don’t mention where this places Scotland in a wider context. Context, who needs context? The readers do. See below for some context.
On the 10th October 2017, three months earlier, I’d written:
and added:
‘Youth unemployment in Scotland is 9.4%, a decrease of 48.3% since 2014. The target was 40%. The table below reveals the shockingly high level of youth employment across much of Europe. Scotland’s figure is amongst the best in Europe and significantly better than for the UK as a whole.
Scotland would come in 5th best out of 29, on youth unemployment, just after Slovenia.
This achievement is impressive and is testimony to the Scottish government’s initiatives including the Developing the Young Workforce programme based on education, improved careers advice, work experience and modern apprenticeship opportunities. Most recently, they have announced £96 million of funding to create fairer employment support services to help the disabled and those facing social and economic barriers to get into and to stay in work.’
https://www.statista.com/statistics/266228/youth-unemployment-rate-in-eu-countries/
https://news.gov.scot/news/youth-employment-target-met-four-years-ahead-of-schedule
Oh well, better later and less than never at all?
Talking-up Scotland 
Perhaps the amount of positive data is now such that they cannot avoid reporting it, because even their loyal readership are aware of the shambles in Westminster with regard to running the UK, never mind the fiasco of Brexit. It is probably also a realisation that more people are getting information from a range of sources, including you, Wings, Bella, etc and that these are available at the click of a button on the TV remote control or a few clicks on personal IT.
Is there any more information about the attempted purchase of Johnston Press and the installation of ‘the devil incarnate’, Alex Salmond as the Managing Director? It has all gone quiet for quite a few weeks.
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Yes, I’ve heard nothing.
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Sooner Salmond gets editorial command the better, and eliminates the existing cretinous management.
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While this seems positive – we have to remember what type of employment this is – how much is in the gig economy, on zero hours, hwo much in minimum wage sector etc. – so a bit of caution please
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Fair point but much more likely to be living wage and permanent in Scotland?
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See these:
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2017/11/12/with-1-in-4-living-wage-employers-already-in-scotland-the-scottish-government-aims-to-make-this-a-living-wage-nation/
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2017/09/09/more-demand-for-permanent-workers-and-rising-pay-in-scotland-for-second-month-in-a-row/
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2017/08/08/good-news-for-the-scottish-economy-again-big-rise-in-permanent-jobs-and-starting-salaries-climb-in-scotland/
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