Jack MConnell has vowed to make education the priority

Jack McConnell told the Labour Party Conference that the measure would be introduced if the party wins the Holyrood elections next year.

The academies would focus on vocational courses and job training for 14 and 15-year-olds.

He said they would offer a future to children who struggle academically.

Speaking at the gathering in Manchester, the first minister said these children would be offered an alternative from the usual classes for part of the week.

They would be able to take part in vocational courses in academies set up in some secondary schools and further education colleges.

It is time to think differently about how we prevent these young people from wasting their opportunities Jack McConnell First minister

The first minister told delegates: "Scotland's primary schools have been transformed since devolution and now our secondary schools are producing 15-year-olds whose attainment is amongst the best in the world.

"The education of most young Scots is very often top-class, but for some teenagers school can be de-motivating, disengaging and it doesn't bring the best out of them out of their school days."

'Go further'

He claimed Labour had achieved success in smoothing the transition from primary to secondary and in cutting class sizes in maths and English.

"But we need to go further and we need to go faster," said the first minister

"It is time to think differently about how we prevent these young people from wasting their opportunities.

"Our new Skills Academies will be great for youngsters, great for businesses and great for our country."

Mr McConnell was reported to have been impressed by the response of some pupils to being allowed to spend part of their school week in college.

In a speech at the start of this month, he pledged that education and learning would be top of Labour's election agenda.

Responding to the speech, Scottish National Party deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon said: "Mr McConnell proved yet again today that he has run out of ideas and has nothing new to say to take Scotland forward.