Sir Ian Wood

Sir Ian Wood has announced he is stepping back as The Wood Foundation’s Chairman, having played a pivotal role in shaping its work in both Africa and the UK – with a particular focus on Scottish education – for almost two decades.

Sir Ian Wood’s dedication to Scotland’s young people has created a legacy of transformational change in education, equipping future generations with the skills, opportunities and confidence to thrive in an evolving world.

As Chair of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, Sir Ian led the effort to address critical challenges in Scotland’s education system. In 2014, the Commission published its Education Working for All! report, highlighting significant gaps in preparing young people for future employment. It made 39 recommendations aimed at creating a world-class vocational education system in Scotland.

The report focused on developing modern apprenticeships in those industry sectors of the economy where young people have the best chance of building a long-term career. Additionally, the Commission suggested encouraging employers to engage with education and recruiting more young people.

The results have been remarkable. The Scottish Government welcomed the report, accepted all of the recommendations, and in response published Developing the Young Workforce: Scotland’s youth employment strategy (2014) report.

As a direct outcome of the “Wood Commission”, Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) was launched in 2014. It has achieved significant milestones, including increasing the number of school leavers entering positive destinations, expanding employer involvement in education, and promoting the uptake of vocational qualifications among young people.

Perhaps the most notable success has been the substantial reduction in youth unemployment, which fell from a concerning 18.8% in 2014 to 10% in 2024, meeting the ambitious target of a 40% reduction ahead of schedule.

Under Sir Ian’s stewardship, his venture philanthropic organisation, The Wood Foundation, has continued to advance its commitment to Scottish education through its transformative programmes and further investments.

The Foundation’s flagship UK programme, the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), is the largest independent programme being delivered through Scottish education. Since 2008, over £7.6 million in unrestricted grant funding has been awarded to charities, thanks to the efforts of more than 350,000 young people.

YPI’s impact is far-reaching as the programme engages a full year group of students in 280 Scottish secondary schools, developing skills and confidence through a contextualised learning experience. The programme raises awareness of social issues and local charities, and is a vital means of enabling youth-led, locally driven grantmaking.

The Wood Foundation’s Excelerate is an investment with ambition for system level change in education. It is working with 19 secondary schools in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Angus, focusing on the transformation of culture, collaboration and pedagogy through professional learning and network opportunities.

Building capability and capacity within Scotland’s education system remains a strategic priority. In 2025, the Foundation will widen access and offer professional learning opportunities to local authorities beyond the original Excelerate Learning Lab.

As The Wood Foundation’s 10-year investment in RAiSE (Raising Aspirations in Science Education) approaches its conclusion in 2025, its impact is clear. RAiSE has significantly upskilled primary practitioners, inspired learners and built a culture of ambition in STEM education.

The Wood Foundation has also co-designed and funded practitioner development programmes in Learning for Sustainability, through Global Learning Partnerships, and in enterprise education.

Alongside programme activity, The Wood Foundation has invested in many partner organisations across Scotland that align with their values such as King’s Trust (formerly known as the Prince’s Trust, VSO, Winning Scotland, and many more over the last 18 years.

Sir Ian Wood’s vision has transformed education in Scotland, empowering young people to become active citizens and enter positive destinations, as well as supporting educators to deliver more high-quality, diverse learning opportunities that further realise the potential of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence.

The impact of Sir Ian’s dedication to Scotland’s young people underscores the critical role of long-term, strategic investment in education, providing a model for how philanthropy and partnerships can drive system level change for generations to come.