Pupils as young as 14 could take on part-time jobs under plans to increase the school leaving age to 18.

First Minister Jack McConnell has already pledged to raise the minimum age for leaving school to 18 within five years if he is returned to the job after May's Holyrood elections.

As part of that, youngsters could be trained for work in new Young Apprenticeships schemes.

The idea is outlined in a draft report called Doing Something Special for Scotland, which sets out how to reform education for the 50% of school leavers who do not go on to university.

"There is absolutely no reason why the opportunities available to this other 50% of young Scots cannot be as world class as the opportunities available within Scottish universities," the report states.

The document says it is time for radical reform and adds that the next term of the Scottish Parliament should focus on building a "new vision for the vocational education and training of young people in Scotland".

The report recommends establishing a new programme of Young Apprenticeships, which it describes as being "a new and radical opportunity for young people in Scotland to prepare for work".

These would be based around the concept of "training with work" and would be different from the current Modern Apprenticeships, in which young people take on a job which includes an element of training.

The report adds that to be successful, the scheme would need the support of employers from the public, private and voluntary sectors, as they would provide the part-time jobs for youngsters.

In tandem with the plans to set up Young Apprenticeships, the report also says the current system of Educational Maintenance Allowances should be redefined. The scheme pays money to students from low-income backgrounds who stay on at school after the age of 16.

The report states that consideration should be given to providing support for part-time work, where income does not come directly from the employer or voluntary organisation.