Future Jobs Scotland is a roadmap for universities, government, and employers to build on good practice to deliver the jobs, skills, and opportunities of tomorrow. Published today, 17 September 2026, Future Jobs Scotland has been developed following conversations with employers and businesses as part of the higher education sector’s ongoing response to ensure graduates are equipped with the skills employers need now. The report presents a series of themes – strong demand for work readiness, the pace of change is significant and employer-university partnerships have solid foundations – which have emerged from these discussions, with examples of good practice from across the sector, including work-based learning, business partnerships and embedding AI into the curriculum. These examples show how universities are taking a skills-based approach across their curriculum and the value of building partnerships with businesses and industry.
Employers value what graduates bring to the table and the report calls on the Scottish Government to move beyond the binary vocational vs academic debate and recognise universities as a core provider of skills, alongside colleges and training providers.
Universities Scotland Convener Professor James Miller said:
“Scotland’s universities and businesses, in the UK and internationally, have a long and successful history of working together to drive innovation, skills and economic growth. Future Jobs Scotland is about taking that partnership to the next level—aligning talent, education and industry needs to create more opportunities for students and graduates while delivering lasting economic benefits for Scotland. This is just the start of a deeper conversation with employers about the skills and workforce our economy will need over the next 25 years.”
Professor Mairi Watson, Convener Universities Scotland’s Learning & Teaching Committee added:
“Future Jobs Scotland shows what can be done when universities, businesses and government work together and we want to continue to offer our students and graduates the best opportunities for future employment throughout their studies. Universities understand how quickly technology, the labour market and workforce needs are changing. We prepare our students to be work ready as well as arming them with critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills. Future Jobs Scotland shows how these skills can be better utilised in the here and now, and unlocking these skills is vital for helping grow Scotland’s economy.”
The insights in the report are part of a much wider conversation, as Universities Scotland and the Scottish Government continue to work on the Future Framework. The report introduces some of the emerging trends from the Future Needs work of the Future Framework, with the next stage of the Framework due to report in late autumn.
ENDS