DEBBIE MURRAY: Grow and develop skills at home in the Highlands

View from the Board by Debbie Murray

Scottish Apprenticeship Week shines a light and celebrates the vital role apprenticeships play in supporting people, employers and the economy across a wide range of industries. Throughout the week, we have been joining employers, colleges, businesses and students showcasing apprenticeship stories under the Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2023 theme, Unlocking Potential.

By unlocking potential and providing the skills employers want, apprenticeships support sustained employment, upskilling and a productive economy. With Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships available alongside hundreds of industry frameworks, there are currently 43,000 apprentices across Scotland employed by 12,000 businesses.

Within the north Highland area, there are over 100 apprentices, working for a range of businesses from hair to gamekeeping. That is over a 100 people who have chosen to stay and work in their local area whilst gaining valuable skills and training in the workplace.

Apprenticeships open opportunities for individuals from a range of backgrounds and abilities to gain and develop skills that will support them throughout their life and in work. For every apprenticeship taken up in the north Highlands, we can celebrate another person who has chosen to stay in the region to progress their education and employment.

At a time when we need to encourage people to stay or migrate to the Highlands, an apprenticeship really is a great way to grow and develop whilst working locally.

Employers can realise their potential with the support of apprenticeships, by developing a workforce that supports the skills they need for now and the future. Apprenticeships are providing critical skills needed to support economic priorities and renewables, including net zero ambitions, to help our region to become a stronger, fairer, greener and wealthier economy.

Scottish Apprenticeship Week is a time to show the great things that happen when people and businesses are supported to reach their potential through apprenticeships.

For many small businesses, employing an apprentice can seem a large investment but through the Caithness Business Fund, local employers can apply for funding which can be used to support the employment costs of an apprentice. Additionally, Skills Development Scotland provide funding to support the associated training costs.

Work-based learning is a real alternative to university, allowing people to gain qualifications and earn a wage whilst staying in their local area.

There are some really exciting apprenticeship opportunities currently being advertised with small and large companies. This year, we have seen a local renewable and timber processing company taking on their first apprentice based in Sutherland and larger companies are recruiting locally across this week.

UHI North Highland will merge with UHI Outer Hebrides and UHI West Highland in August to form UHI North, West and Hebrides, pending Scottish Government approval. Together, we have ambitions to grow our work-based learning and apprenticeship numbers and continue to have a key role to play in supporting the UHI partnership and its growing apprenticeship offering across the region.

• Debbie Murray is the principal of UHI North Highland.

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