DYW North East

What DYW North East does

DYW North East, formally Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) North East, is a Scottish Government-funded nonprofit workforce development intermediary established in 2014 as one of 20 regional DYW groups across Scotland. Headquartered at North East Scotland College, City Campus in Aberdeen, it operates across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire with a staff of 28 led by Director Jamie Hutcheon and Chair Mavis Anagboso (Global Head of DE&I Europe at Harbour Energy). Its core function is to reduce the structural friction between employers seeking young talent and secondary schools and colleges seeking industry engagement, with the stated aim of ensuring every 16-24 year old in Scotland is connected to an opportunity under the DYW Pledge (formerly Young Person's Guarantee). The organisation accomplished its headline mission of reducing 2014 levels of youth unemployment by 40% by 2021.

The service surface consists of six interlocking offerings: a Jobs Portal for vacancies, apprenticeships and training opportunities; the DYW Pledge employer commitment scheme structured around four themes (prepare, invest, inclusive workplaces, champion); an Events programme including the new DYW Connect format and the inaugural Connect Awards 2026; an Employer School Coordinator Programme deploying 14+ staff embedded directly in secondary schools; an Ambassador Scheme of industry representatives from sectors including energy, engineering, HR and professional services; and downloadable Resources plus Case Studies. Distribution is delivered through direct field engagement by Employer School Coordinators, the website, sponsored events, and a digital pledge registration flow. There is no proprietary technology platform, AI/ML capability, or commercial SaaS product — the offering is fundamentally human-mediated intermediation.

The business model is fully grant-funded by the Scottish Government, which acts as data controller and primary funder. Services are provided free of charge to all user groups (employers, educators, young people and parents). Revenue diversification is limited to event sponsorship in kind (Skills Development Scotland as principal Connect Awards sponsor, alongside AXV Audio Visual, Balfour Beatty, Motive Offshore, AnythingHR, Legends Global, Mackie's of Scotland, Odfjell Technology, Flexistore and Harbour Energy). Governance is exercised through a board that includes senior figures from Harbour Energy, Shell, Balfour Beatty, Katoni Engineering and directors of education from both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council.

Name

DYW North East

Legal name

Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) North East

Website

https://dyw.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DYW North East is a Scottish Government-funded nonprofit workforce development intermediary operating across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, connecting employers with secondary schools, colleges, and 16-24 year olds to deliver work-related learning, apprenticeships, and the DYW Pledge. It deploys 14+ Employer School Coordinators embedded in schools and is one of 20 regional DYW groups nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Employer education partnerships
• Youth employment programs
• Apprenticeship facilitation
• Career education initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Aberdeen

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: DYW North East is funded by the Scottish Government as part of the national Developing the Young Workforce initiative. The Scottish Government acts as the data controller for personal information collected through the DYW North East website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DYW North East is a publicly funded regional intermediary that connects employers with secondary schools and colleges across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to help young people develop skills for work. Its core services include an Employer School Coordinator Programme that provides on-the-ground support to schools, a Jobs Portal listing vacancies and apprenticeships, the DYW Pledge employer commitment scheme, regional events, and an Ambassador Scheme with industry representatives. All services are provided free of charge to employers, educators, young people, and parents.

Product overview

DYW North East operates as a workforce development initiative connecting employers with young people and educational institutions across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The organisation offers a Jobs Portal for vacancies and apprenticeships, the DYW Pledge (employer commitment scheme), coordinated Events, Case Studies showcasing partnerships, an Employer School Coordinator Programme providing on-the-ground support to secondary schools, an Ambassador Scheme with industry representatives, and Resources for download. The service is structured as a community platform rather than a software product, functioning as a facilitator connecting registered users including employers, educators, young people, and parents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jobs Portal Online portal listing job vacancies, trainee positions, and apprenticeships for young people aged 16-24 in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including roles from employers such as QA, EY, British Army and KPMG.
• DYW Pledge (formerly Young Person's Guarantee) Employer commitment scheme (formerly Young Person's Guarantee) enabling employers to pledge support for young people across four focus areas: prepare young people for work, invest in skilled workforce, create inclusive workplaces, and champion the DYW Pledge. DYW North East facilitates pledges across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
• Employer School Coordinator Programme Programme in which 14+ dedicated Employer School Coordinators provide secondary schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire with on-the-ground support to develop strong and sustainable industry partnerships, acting as the bridge between employers and schools.
• Regional Employer Events and DYW Connect Programme of regular regional employer information events, DYW Scotland Employer Information & Training Sessions, and the DYW Connect annual event bringing together employers, educators, young people, and partners for networking, speaker sessions, and an awards ceremony.
• DYW Ambassador Scheme Industry representative ambassadors who fly the flag for DYW North East by sharing experiences of supporting young people and encouraging other employers to get involved. Includes ambassadors from sectors including energy, engineering, HR, and professional services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42% increase in employer-led activities delivered in schools year-over-year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Skills Development ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026Skills Development Scotland serves as the principal sponsor of the DYW North East Connect Awards 2026. As Scotland's national skills body, SDS supports the development of people and businesses, providing expertise in skills planning and apprenticeship programmes. Their sponsorship demonstrates commitment to celebrating collaboration between education and industry in the North East.
• AXV Audio VisualsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2026AXV Audio Visual served as silver sponsor for the DYW North East Connect Awards 2026, providing audio-visual support for the event.
• Motive Offshore Group LtdsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMotive Offshore Group sponsored the Employer Champion Award category at DYW Connect Awards 2026. The company, based in Boyndie and Kintore, is a specialist in marine equipment manufacturing, rental and servicing, and has been an early adopter of the Young Person's Guarantee/DYW Pledge.
• Balfour Beatty plcsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBalfour Beatty sponsored the Excellence in Education Award category at DYW Connect Awards 2026. The construction company is actively involved in supporting young people through school roadshows and career activities in the region.
• AnythingHRsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAnythingHR sponsored the Inspiring Young Person Award category at DYW Connect Awards 2026. The HR consultancy supports young people through career activities and events.
• Legends Global at P&J LivesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLegends Global at P&J Live sponsored the Partnership Impact Award category at DYW Connect Awards 2026. The venue management company provides event hosting facilities in Aberdeen.
• Mackie's of ScotlandsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting organization for DYW North East Connect Awards 2026. Mackie's of Scotland is a family-owned business producing premium ice cream and crisp snacks in Aberdeenshire.
• Odfjell TechnologysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting organization for DYW North East Connect Awards 2026. Odfjell Technology operates in the energy sector and has hosted Foundation Apprentice work placements.
• Flexistore LtdsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting organization for DYW North East Connect Awards 2026. Flexistore Aberdeen provides storage solutions.
• Harbour EnergysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting organization for DYW North East Connect Awards 2026. Harbour Energy is a major oil and gas operator. Their Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion serves as Chair of the DYW North East board.
• North East Scotland CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDYW North East is hosted at North East Scotland College (NESCol) City Campus in Aberdeen. NESCol provides apprenticeship training for young people placed with employers like Motive Offshore Group, and partners with schools for Health & Safety qualifications.
• Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chamber of Commerce collaborates with DYW North East on initiatives like the Aberdeen Young Professionals network. Their Relationship Manager Katie Watson serves as Chair of Aberdeen Young Professionals and is involved in DYW Connect events.
• Career ReadycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer Ready is an 18-month programme for senior school pupils matching young people with companies for mentoring, paid summer internships, and masterclasses. DYW North East facilitates employer participation in the programme.
• Aberdeen City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAberdeen City Council is represented on the DYW North East board through its Chief Education Officer. The council works with DYW to support schools in the city.
• Aberdeenshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAberdeenshire Council is represented on the DYW North East board through its Director of Education & Children's Services. The council works with DYW to support schools in the region.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Skills Development Scotland: Scotland's national skills agency and the principal sponsor of DYW Connect Awards 2026. SDS sits immediately above DYW in the skills-intermediation stack and effectively operates the same employer-school-youth intermediary mission at national scale.
• Movement to Work: UK cross-sector initiative led by major employers committed to providing work opportunities for young people. Highly comparable to DYW's employer-pledge model and operates alongside similar organisations in the youth-employment space.
• Education and Employers: UK charity running the Inspiring the Future and Primary Futures programmes that match employers and employees with state schools - a near-identical mission to DYW's Employer School Coordinator model. Operates UK-wide and provides the comparative benchmark for scale.
• icould: UK career exploration charity providing video stories, labour-market information and career resources to young people. Comparable to DYW's career information and resource function though delivered through digital content rather than in-school coordinators.
• Career Ready: UK charity running an 18-month structured mentoring, paid internship and masterclass programme for senior school pupils - explicitly named as a strategic delivery partner in DYW's own materials. Highly comparable in target audience, employer-engagement model and outcomes.
• Speakers for Schools: UK charity that connects state school students with leading professionals through talks, workshops and work experience. Operates a similar intermediary model between employers and secondary schools, scaled nationally across the UK.
• The Careers & Enterprise Company: Government-backed UK body that funds and coordinates employer engagement with schools and colleges across England. It is the closest functional equivalent to DYW North East, running a parallel regional network model with Enterprise Coordinators embedded in schools.
• Youth Employment UK: UK charity focused on improving youth employment outcomes through research, policy advocacy and direct programmes. Overlaps significantly with DYW's mission of connecting 16-24 year olds with work opportunities.

Broad incumbents

• Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity running enterprise, education and employment programmes for 11-30 year olds. Larger scale and broader scope than DYW but addresses an overlapping beneficiary group and competes for similar employer engagement and government funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DYW_NorthEast
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@dywnortheast7737/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/DYWNorthEast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dyw-north-east
• Instagraminstagram.com/dyw_northeast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DYW North East