During 2025/26, Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Fife brought together employers and partners from across the region to strengthen collaboration and support more young people into positive destinations. This event-focused initiative aimed to raise awareness of the range of partner services available while demonstrating the tangible benefits of engagement through the DYW Pledge. By creating opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing, it helped employers better understand how they can play a proactive role in developing Fife’s future workforce.

The event was delivered in partnership with a range of organisations including Skills Development Scotland (SDS), Fife Council’s Employability Team, Career Ready, Fife College, DPS Group and Invest Fife. It provided a platform for businesses to explore opportunities such as work experience, apprenticeships, mentoring and work inspiration activities. Young DYW Pupil Ambassadors played an important role, sharing their experiences of supporting school coordinators and promoting employability initiatives. Their involvement highlighted the value of youth voice in shaping employability activity and inspired employers to engage more directly with schools.

A key contribution came from keynote speaker Peter Scott, Operations Manager at DPS Group, who outlined a structured “Blueprint Plan” for engagement with DYW Fife. His approach involves sustained partnerships with seven schools, offering a combination of site visits, classroom sessions, careers events for younger pupils, and mentoring and work experience opportunities for senior students. This long-term engagement supports stronger relationships with young people, leading to improved application quality, more effective recruitment and increased staff retention. His example demonstrated how early, consistent involvement can deliver clear returns for employers while supporting young people into employment.

The event also emphasised the importance of early engagement with young people, particularly as more than 3,500 school leavers are expected to enter the labour market in Summer 2026. Employers who build relationships with pupils before they leave school are better positioned to attract candidates who understand their organisation and the opportunities available. By showcasing practical and time-efficient ways to engage, the event helped businesses strengthen talent pipelines and address recruitment challenges.

The impact of the event was immediate and measurable. Sign-ups to the DYW Pledge increased by eight, while referrals to partner organisations rose by 14. These included six referrals to Career Ready, three to SDS and five linked to Modern and Foundation Apprenticeships, alongside continued engagement with programmes such as Workit and the Fife Job Contract. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with employers describing the event as informative, well organised and valuable for building connections, sharing ideas and learning from others’ experiences.

The initiative directly supports the Plan for Fife priorities of Community Wealth Building and Leading Economic Recovery and Tackling Poverty and Preventing Crisis. It also contributes to a range of ambitions, including improving educational attainment, increasing economic activity and employment, and ensuring communities are more involved in shaping local services. By strengthening links between employers, education and support services, the project helps create more consistent and positive pathways for young people entering the workforce.

Looking ahead, DYW Fife will continue to build on this momentum through ongoing face-to-face engagement with employers, increased promotion of the DYW Pledge and strengthened partnership working. Employers will be supported with practical toolkits, training and resources to help sustain their involvement. This continued focus on collaboration is expected to further raise awareness, increase participation and support more young people across Fife to progress into employment, education or training.