View from the Chamber

SINCE Developing the Young Workforce West Highland started supporting the Highland Council with work experience throughout the area in April, opportunities have more than doubled.

The primary reason that employers turn away young job applicants is that they don’t have meaningful or relevant work experience.

In response to this, as part of the national Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) agenda, along with the Highland Council, secondary schools and colleges, DYW West Highland is working to support and increase work-related learning opportunities for young people through working with employers. Although this increase is a massive step forward, work experience remains a critical part of learning for young people and opportunities still need to be increased dramatically in a variety of sectors to meet the demands from education.

Feedback shows that some of the work placements that are most needed are in engineering, construction, rural skills, administration, aquaculture, tourism, hospitality, and health and social care.

If you run a business, you can help to make sure that young people are as ready as they can be for work.

Offering work experience to young people comes in various forms and there are many ways that employers can help schools and colleges in their local area.

Whether it is a work placement for a pupil at a time that suits you, providing mock interviews, sector talks in schools or site visits to your business, employer engagement can help to increase young people’s self-esteem and social confidence.

It also enhances awareness of what careers are available locally and teaches the skill sets required so that young people can contribute effectively when they begin work in their chosen industry.

For a free work placement assessment – or to find out about any other opportunities for positive PR for your business through education engagement – contact the DYW West Highland team on 01397 705 765 or by email to info@dywwesthighland.org who will be happy to help you.