Scottish Labour has set out plans for almost 30,000 modern apprenticeship places in a bid to boost skills.

Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander and skills spokesman John Park proposed a bill aimed at increasing Scotland's "vital" skills base.

The legislation put before the Scottish Parliament would give 16 to 18-year-olds rights to take apprenticeships.

"The building of the skills base of the Scottish workforce has never been more vital to our economic success," Alexander said.

"It needs to be recognised that there will be fewer low skilled jobs in the future and, therefore, less opportunity for unskilled young people to enter the job market straight from school."

Park said that apprentice numbers in Scotland "have increased significantly over the last 10 years".

But he added: "Quality vocational training opportunities are increasingly hard to come by and modern apprenticeships have hundreds of applicants for every place."