DYW NORTH HIGHLAND
Help shape our future workforce.
DYW North Highland is part of Developing the Young Workforce, Scotland’s national programme bringing employers, education and young people together to better prepare young people for the world of work.
Hosted by North Highland Chamber of Commerce, we work across Caithness and Sutherland to create stronger connections between schools and businesses, helping young people develop the skills, knowledge and experience they need to make informed choices about their future.
We work with employers of every size and sector to create meaningful opportunities for young people – from classroom talks, careers events and industry insight days to workplace visits, work experience and apprenticeships.
For young people, that means greater exposure to the world of work, a better understanding of the career pathways open to them and opportunities to develop practical employability skills. For employers, it’s a chance to shape and connect with their future workforce, raise awareness of their sector and help develop the skills our regional economy needs.
Our aim is simple: to help more young people make successful transitions from education into positive destinations, while ensuring employers have a strong voice in how the future workforce is prepared.
Employers
Help young people discover your sector and the skills they’ll need to succeed. DYW North Highland can connect you with schools through careers talks, workplace visits, work experience and more.
Educators
Bring the world of work into learning. We connect schools with local employers to give pupils practical experiences and a clearer view of the opportunities around them.
Young People & Parents
Explore the many routes from education into work, from apprenticeships to further study and employment. Discover opportunities, hear from local employers and find support for your next step.
What is the DYW Pledge?
The DYW Pledge is part of a national ambition to connect every young person with a positive opportunity – whether that is a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education, training or volunteering.
For employers, it provides a simple framework for young workforce employer engagement and a practical way to support young people while developing your own future talent pipeline.
You don’t need a large HR team or a formal programme to take part. DYW North Highland can help you find the right level of involvement for your organisation.
How your business can get involved
There are lots of ways to support Developing the Young Workforce, from giving an hour of your time to providing longer-term opportunities.
Offer work experience
Give young people first-hand experience of your workplace through work placements for students, workplace visits, job shadowing or industry insight days.
Build a school-business partnership
We have DYW co-ordinators based in each of the three high schools in Caithness and north Sutherland. Connect with us to help bring the world of work into education.
Share your skills and experience
Sometimes the most useful thing you can offer is your time. Talk about your own career journey, help a young person prepare a CV, take part in an interview session or introduce pupils to roles they may never have considered.
Create apprenticeship opportunities
Apprenticeships allow young people to gain recognised qualifications while developing valuable workplace experience – and give employers the opportunity to grow the skills their business needs. DYW North Highland can help employers understand the options and connect with the right organisations for further support.
Why get involved?
Engaging with young people isn’t simply about giving something back. It can help your business:
- build awareness of your company and sector
- inspire young people to consider careers in your industry
- develop a pipeline of future talent
- address skills gaps by helping young people understand the opportunities available
- build relationships with local schools and colleges
- give employees valuable mentoring, communication and leadership experience
- help more local young people move into positive destinations after leaving school
Most importantly, it gives young people a clearer picture of the opportunities available to them here in the North Highlands – including the skills employers need and the jobs for young people that exist now and in the future.
For young people, parents and educators
DYW North Highland also helps young people understand the world of work and the different routes available after school.
Through employer encounters, workplace experiences, careers activity and partnerships with schools, we help young people explore different industries, understand career pathways and develop the skills employers are looking for.
We can signpost young people, parents and educators to useful careers and skills information, including My World of Work, and to information about Foundation Apprenticeships, Modern Apprenticeships, Graduate Apprenticeships, work experience and other routes into employment, training and further or higher education.
Our goal is to help every young person make informed choices and move towards a positive destination that is right for them.
Connecting education and industry
DYW North Highland works with employers, schools, colleges and partners across Caithness and Sutherland to strengthen the connection between education and industry. By bringing businesses into the conversation early, we can help young people understand the opportunities available locally while giving employers a direct role in developing the skills, confidence and awareness our future workforce needs.
Ready to get involved?
You don’t need to know exactly what you can offer before getting in touch. Make the DYW Pledge, tell us a little about your business and we’ll help you find practical ways to engage with young people that work for you.
