Council and College win at COSLA Awards for Construction Skills pathways work

The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh College have been awarded the David Kennedy Excellent People Award at the annual COSLA Awards.

As a finalist nominated in one of the five overall categories, the Council and College were selected for their outstanding impact while rising to the challenges of day-to-day service delivery.

The partnership’s Construction Skills pathways project was recognised for its work in building brighter futures for young people. The project is focused on improving outcomes for learners by getting more school leavers into jobs within the construction industry. Not only does this improve attainment through relevant and engaging courses but responds to labour market needs.

The Construction Skills work is raising the attainment of Edinburgh school leavers, with the national benchmarks for school attainment improving across most measures. The number of National Progression Awards achieved by City of Edinburgh School Leavers has increased from 900 in 2023 to 1944 in 2025.

This is achieved through partnership working, with the College expanding our construction courses into school-based sites across Edinburgh, with delivery supported by Kier Construction and Balfour Beatty.

Ryan Deighan, Edinburgh College Curriculum Team Manager – Construction, said:

“It is fantastic that our partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council has been recognised by the COSLA Awards. Through the Construction Skills pathways project, we’re giving pupils a real understanding of the opportunities within the sector and helping them take the first steps toward a successful and rewarding career. At Edinburgh College, we’re committed to developing the skills our region needs, and this initiative is a key part of supporting young people as they begin their journey in this essential industry.”

Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convener, said:

“This award is a fantastic acknowledgement of the innovative and proactive approach we as a Council are taking to improve outcomes for young people in Edinburgh. We want to narrow the gap between the most and least disadvantaged learners in Edinburgh, and our construction pathways work is one of the ways we are doing this. The attainment outcomes speak for themselves, with over double the number of National Progression Awards achieved by Edinburgh young people since 2023. This work is helping even more learners to see the relevance of their learning in relation to real-world career opportunities and supporting them to map out their journey beyond school.”