Skills Sporran

Bringing together the education and employment eco-systems in Scotland to address the threats and opportunities that AI is bringing to verification and validation of skills.

The Skills Sporran brings together the education and employment eco-systems in Scotland to ensure that digitising of qualifications and skills makes it easier for employees and employers to thrive.

A specialist, dedicated service that enables individuals to independently gather, securely store and manage and share their personal data in one place and under their sole control, untethered from the systems of any organisations using this data and lying beyond these organisations’ sight or reach; where any organisations’ access to this data is controlled by the individual on a case-by-case basis.

Information is currently held on the many different and individual systems of the accrediting bodies. This generates friction, effort, risk and cost. It is time consuming for the individual, the organisation seeking to access the information and the organisation that holds the information to validate it, it can also be expensive.

Prioritising our skills

  • Putting Scotland and its citizens at the forefront of the digital world and the centre of Industry 4.0.
  • A distinct advantage at a time when many roles are becoming redundant as a consequence of Industry 4.0; assisting and enabling individuals to better manage re-skilling and up-skilling.
  • Huge international potential – a global education and training accreditation system available to all global citizens: reducing the risks of fraud, enhancing safety.
  • Positioning Scotland as the international centre of skills, qualifications and training accreditation.
  • Enhancing Scotland’s worldwide reputation for equality and safety, through the empowerment of its individuals.
  • A system of recording and accrediting skills, training, education and widening access.

In January 2023 the independent think-tank The David Hume Institute (DHI) published a discussion paper.

It investigates the question:

”Does Scotland need a digital wallet for skills?

View paper online

The need

“the Scottish economy is losing out on at least £527.2m by failing to address current skills shortages and vacancies”

We'd like your help!

Answer our Skills Sporran questionnaire

“The vision of creating a “single source of truth” is simple and elegant; yet illusive and overdue. The sheer cost to our time as individuals, employees and employers, academia alike is long overdue transformation. The Skills Sporran gives us a chance to do just that, one place, one source of truth.”

Steven Pickavance
LinkedIn Bio

The Scottish Government asked Mark Logan and James Withers to chair Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation (March 2022) and Skills Fit future (May 2023).