A REPORT containing recommendations to reduce youth unemployment by 40 per cent by 2020 will be published today.

The Commission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce, chaired by Sir Ian Wood, has spent the last 18 months looking at how vocational education can be significantly improved.

It is expected to recommend that employers should play a greater role in schools and colleges, while small businesses should be given more support to take on apprentices.

Covering vocational education in schools and colleges, modern apprenticeships, careers advice, equalities and employer support, the report's recommendations follow extensive consultations with leading figures in education and business.

The commission was established by the Scottish Government to tackle youth unemployment rates, which stood at 20.6 per cent, according to local area labour market statistics published last month.

Youth Employment Secretary Angela Constance said: "In times of economic difficulty, it is young women and men that are the first to feel the effects in the jobs market and the last to get the benefit when things start to pick up."

She added: "As part of our economic recovery, the Scottish Government is committed to a sustained reduction in youth unemployment."