Farr North Community Development Trust and Caithness Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to reach out to businesses in the northern Highlands to raise awareness of opportunities for receiving support when hiring apprentices.

The Farr North Apprenticeship Scheme is managed by the Trust and is supported by a grant of around £100,000 from the SSE Renewables Strathy North Community Fund.  The scheme offers eligible businesses up to £15,000 over a three-year period towards the costs associated with employing and training an apprentice.  In some cases this can be combined with the Caithness Business Fund to bring the overall level of support to over £24,000.

Apprenticeships provide a cost-effective way to upskill and expand the workforce. Taking on an apprentice can be a smart investment, benefiting both the business and the local skills base.  But as a business in the north, where do you begin?

A good place to start would be Caithness Chamber of Commerce.  The Chamber offers a huge range of help and advice to businesses across the north (not just in Caithness!) and they have links and contacts with agencies that could help you.  Through this network the Chamber can help you to decide if an apprenticeship would be right for your business, help to identify suitable training opportunities for your apprentice and help you find the right person for your company.

Find out more on about The Farr North Apprenticeship Scheme on the Caithness Business Fund website.

David Shearer, SSE Renewables Community Investment Manager commented:

“Investing in young people is a particular focus for our community funds and we have a number of apprenticeship programmes available in Sutherland.  The apprenticeship programmes ensure that there are viable employment opportunities to retain young people in the local area and also helps to ensure that the local economy benefits from thriving local businesses.”

Simon Lee, Manager of Farr North Community Development Trust commented:

“Farr North is working to develop vibrant and resilient communities.  We are delighted to be able to work with the other SSE apprenticeship programmes in Sutherland and working with Caithness Chamber of Commerce brings even more opportunities to support local businesses, develop workforce skills, and encourage our young people to stay in the area.”

CASE STUDY

GMG Energy and Finlay Mackay Modern Engineering Apprentice.

Nestling in the Strath of the river Halladale, GMG Energy is an ambitious timber processing company established by Malcolm Morrison in 2016.

Finlay began his apprenticeship with the company in 2022 whilst studying at the Engineering Maintenance framework at UHI.  He is now working towards his SVQ3 work-based qualification.  Malcolm is delighted with his apprentice:

“He’s a bright kid, learns quickly and is a great asset to the company.” He enthused recently.

Finlay is equally enthusiastic about the experience:

“I feel I’ve really landed on my feet.  GMG Energy has given me a huge range of opportunities to apply the knowledge I get from college.  I’m gaining experience, I’m learning and I’m earning!  What could be better?”

Businesses in the region have opportunities to thrive by investing wisely, upskilling their workforce, and embracing apprenticeships. It’s heartening to see the positive impact on both businesses and individuals

Transport connectivity is crucial to the economy.

At the Focus North conference, 87% of attendees rated our regional transport network as high or very high risk for our economic prosperity.

Future opportunities for tourism businesses and organisations were explored at Venture North’s third annual Tourism Gathering last week. 70 attendees gathered at Mackays Hotel in Wick ahead of the summer visitor season.

Cathy Earnshaw, Destination Strategy Manager for Venture North opened the day by showcasing an overview and short film of Venture North’s key strategic activities in delivering the Tourism Strategy for Caithness and Sutherland 2021 – 24. With the Gathering’s theme being ‘Destination Opportunities’, she also discussed potential future focus areas to generate ideas and feedback from the tourism sector and community organisations, which will help shape the region’s tourism priorities towards Outlook 2030.

Marc Crothall MBE, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance set the scene by introducing key tourism policy focuses including the recently launched Policy Agenda ‘Our Industry Manifesto to Support Scotland in Becoming a World Leader in 21st Century Tourism’ which sets out a series of ambitious priorities ahead of the forthcoming UK general election and the next Scottish Parliament election in 2026. He discussed the value of working with destination management organisations (DMOs) such as Venture North to shape and deliver tourism in Scotland.

Chris Taylor, VisitScotland’s destination development director for the Highlands and Islands revealed information on current visitor trends and opportunities for travel trade.

Representatives from Wick Development Trust, John O’Groats Mill Trust and the John O’Groats Development Trust all provided updates on current community tourism initiatives in Caithness, with NatureScot and the North West Highland Geopark presenting insight into the valuable opportunities for responsible tourism and collaborations with UNESCO status.

Trudy Morris, Chief Executive of the Caithness Chamber of Commerce also shared about career opportunities across the tourism and hospitality sector for young people.

William and Adelaine Munro of Caithness Seacoast Ltd commented: “There was a very positive atmosphere. It was great to see such a diverse range of tourism service providers and an abundance of experience. We particularly liked hearing about the focus on young people joining the tourism industry. As a result, we approached Developing the Young Workforce North Highland and have signed up to provide marine tourism experience to interested high school pupils”.

Attendees rotated round breakout groups in the afternoon, which dug deeper into the themes of travel trade, building responsible tourism collaborations with UNESCO world heritage sites, and maximising opportunities for community tourism.

Fiona Saywell, Geopark Manager for the North West Highlands Geopark said, “I have at least 3 new contacts from Thursday’s networking, with multiple pieces of information and possible routes to follow up on for future and existing work. Having opportunities through co-leading the afternoon breakout groups, to find out what tourism providers think, know and want to know about the North West Highlands Geopark, was so valuable”.

Venture North’s Tourism Gathering was held on Thursday 28^th March 2024 and was sponsored by Caithness Chamber of Commerce & Developing the Young Workforce North Highland, with support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, NRS Dounreay, and VisitScotland.

Magnus Davidson, Dounreay’s Socio Economics Manager, said: “NRS Dounreay is pleased to be working with Venture North to help promote responsible and sustainable community-led tourism in the north Highlands and building valuable partnerships to boost a collective voice is crucial in doing this effectively.”

Presentations from the Venture North Tourism Gathering 2024 can be viewed online, visit: https://www.venture-north.co.uk/about-venture-north/tourism-gathering-2024

CASHFLOW & PROFITABILITY DECLINE AS HIGH COSTS HAMMER BUSINESSES

CASHFLOW & PROFITS DECLINE: Q1 has seen a significant downturn in cashflow and profits, with sizeable contractions recorded across four of the five sectors.

RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES: More businesses are reporting challenges in recruiting staff, increasing to 47% for the quarter compared to 40% in the last quarter. However, recruitment intentions remain stable for the next quarter.

MORE PRICE RISES ON THE HORIZON: More firms are indicating that they will raise prices this quarter compared to last, rising by 10 percentage points to 50% of all firms.

COST PRESSURES RISING: The leading cost pressures remain labour costs (76%), energy costs (60%) and raw material prices (44%), with more companies raising concerns specifically on labour and energy costs.

INVESTMENT STILL FROZEN: Over half of firms have reported investment freezes and do not expect this to change next quarter due to economic uncertainty.

Stephen Leckie, President of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:

“The latest insights from Scottish business underscores the extreme cost pressures facing companies in all sectors. The persistently high cost of doing business is hammering cashflow and profitability which will hit the economy in the long-term.
“The operating environment – nationally and globally – is exceptionally challenging.

“Geopolitics has moved up the agenda in boardrooms underlining the critical role governments will continue to play to ensure smooth trading conditions. Red Sea disruption, unresolved global conflicts and emerging concerns on data sovereignty are live issues businesses and communities require clarity on.

“Despite this, Scottish businesses are showing signs of resilience with business confidence and recruitment intentions remaining stable for the next quarter.”

On Tax, Stephen Leckie, said:

“Closer to home, businesses continue to express major dissatisfaction with tax policy direction from Scottish and UK Governments. Businesses are concerned about the impact of income tax divergence between Scotland and rest of UK in attracting and retaining talent. Scotland’s additional regulations such as the tourism tax is also a cause for concern which is increasing the cost of doing business.

“The message from businesses is clear: we need Governments north and south of the border to reduce the tax burden.”

On the Labour Market, Stephen Leckie said:

“More businesses are struggling to find and secure the skills and talent they need with recruitment difficulties significantly increasing over the quarter.

“The planned increase in the national minimum wage, whilst welcome for workers, will heap extra costs on the most vulnerable sectors such as hospitality and leisure explaining why labour costs is the number one cost pressure this quarter.

“Changes to the UK immigration system also threaten to harm Scotland’s attractiveness, with a planned 50% rise in the minimum salary threshold for a Skilled Worker visa from April.

“This policy alone will make it impossible for many Scottish businesses to hire international staff as the salary threshold is far higher than Scotland’s average wage. The UK Government must adopt a business-friendly approach which aligns with Scotland’s economic needs.”

On Investment, Stephen Leckie said:

“Investment remains a significant cause for concern. Over half of firms have reported investment freezes and do not expect this to change next quarter due to economic uncertainty.“The challenges highlighted in the survey are a perfect storm impacting investment decisions: recruitment challenges, tax burdens, weak cashflow and declining profits.

“Firms needs a clear framework to attract capital investment in areas such as housing. This should also include reducing regulatory burdens, quicker planning decisions and targeted incentives.”

Commenting on the survey results, Professor Mairi Spowage, Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, said:

“Economic data in early 2024 is showing that the economy is likely to be recovering hesitantly as expected, following the contractions in growth in the final part of 2023.

“Some of this positivity is reflected in the survey published today. Despite some of the headwinds reported by businesses – including increasing employment costs – business confidence is still in positive territory. There are clear sectoral differences, as might be expected, with the retail and hospitality sector in particular having a subdued set of results. The increase in the national minimum wage coming in April, while positive for workers, is likely to impact particularly on these sectors.

“The verdict of our assessment chimes really well with the results from the survey today: that things are difficult, but that there are both signs of and hope of improvement.”

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FutureSkills on the agenda at Focus North Conference, with the announcement of £100,000 investment to boost new apprenticeship opportunities in the North Highlands.

The Focus North Conference 2024 heralded a significant stride towards bolstering apprenticeship opportunities in the North Highland region with the introduction of the FutureSkills Initiative, generously supported by a £100,000 investment from Focus North partners NRS Dounreay and the NDA. This initiative aims to tackle skill shortages and invigorate investment in new avenues for both businesses and young people through an enhanced apprenticeship grant scheme.

Part of the Caithness Business Fund, the FutureSkills initiative will offer eligible businesses the opportunity to access financial grant support of up to £24,500 over a maximum period of three years, aiding in employment and associated training costs of an apprentice.

The scheme will be open to businesses that can demonstrate a strong commitment to hosting a modern apprenticeship and providing a supportive pathway. Primarily targeted at SMEs, it seeks to stimulate business growth by facilitating new apprenticeship opportunities and overcoming potential financial hurdles.

During the conference, over 160 individuals came together to learn about the programme’s three key pillars: inspire our people, preparing our region, and grow our economy, showcasing a positive outlook for the North Highland region.

Trudy Morris, Executive Director of the Caithness Business Fund and CEO of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, commented:

“The Focus North Conference highlighted that our region is at the cusp of transformative opportunities, marking the beginning of an exciting new era of employment generation.”

“Expanding the pool of skilled people in the North Highland region stands as Focus North’s number one priority. One of the ways we are driving this forward is through the FutureSkills Initiative which will support local businesses to create new apprenticeship opportunities for our young people.”

“Through an uptick in apprenticeship applications to the Fund, we have seen a growing desire among local businesses to establish and further develop their workforce. Alongside this research through our Developing the Young Workforce programme revealed many young people have a future aspiration to pursue this pathway. This cannot be understated when it comes to building resilience into our local economy and communities.”

“We are delighted to have the backing of Focus North partners NRS Dounreay and the NDA on this initiative, recognising the critical importance of enabling new apprenticeship opportunities.”

To find out more about the Caithness Business Fund and the FutureSkills apprenticeship grant scheme contact the Fund team on : Tel: 01847 500104 | Email: enquiries@caithnessbusinessfund.co.uk

The event in Wick on 19 March, hosted by Focus North, set the scene for the future of Caithness and Sutherland and urged attendees to take control of the growing opportunities.

160+ attendees heard from a dynamic lineup of speakers covering nuclear decommissioning, renewable energy, peatland restoration, and space – which featured spokespeople from NRS Dounreay, Net Zero Nation, Orbex, West of Orkney Windfarm, Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm and Meygen.

Summing up the conference Focus North’s independent chair Simon Middlemas OBE said: “We have set the scene for the future of Caithness and Sutherland, and we want people to commit to helping us drive it forward.

“There is a staggering number of opportunities in this part of Scotland, and we need to work together to manage this huge operation.

“Collective local action is required to ensure these transformational initiatives are delivered, so the north of mainland Scotland generates growth, economic diversity, and leads the low carbon economy.

“The centre of opportunities is in the north!”

NRS managing director, Dounreay Division, Mark Rouse spoke of the future of NRS Dounreay and addressed concerns that it will come to an end in 2033 explaining that the region and its community can expect support for 10+ years to come through:

• Helping build the education system
• Supporting the local supply chain
• Doubling the grant funding for supporting apprentices

The event programme

Central to the agenda was an industry panel session which featured, Richard Copeland, project director for Pentland Offshore Windfarm, Lesley Still, chief of spaceport operations at Orbex, Fraser Johnston, O&M Manager for Meygen, and Stuart McAuley, project director for West of Orkney Wind Farm, who each discussed project challenges, opportunities, and regional impact.

Following the industry panel, attendees heard from The Flow Country Partnership which was recently registered by the Office of the Scottish Charity Register. The charitable status will allow the partnership to directly carry out actions, with the potential of becoming the co-ordinating body for the World Heritage Site. It will now also be able to apply for and manage charitable funds to deliver future interpretation, a visitor facility, and other projects on the ground, while providing community benefit.

Furthermore, attendees received an update on the progress made by Focus North, learning about how the programme is meeting challenges underpinned by three key pillars – inspire our people, prepare our region and grow our economy.

During the conference, a bank of films was introduced to inspire the region – showcasing what makes people live and work in Caithness and Sutherland. The films artfully construct a compelling proposition that will attract more people.

A recent survey carried out by Focus North highlighted the amount of school leavers looking to stay in the region has dropped from 55% to 47%.

Increasing the pool of skilled people is Focus North’s number one priority and funding has been allocated to the Caithness Chamber of Commerce’s recruitment portal, Recruit North Highland, to coordinate recruitment for the region and attract new people to live, work and study there.

The funding has also allowed for the appointment of a talent attraction specialist, Lindsay Matthews, who will be on hand to support people looking for roles in the region and navigate relocating with a family. There will be enhancements across the website and a toolkit will also be produced for local businesses.

To prepare the region and grow the economy Focus North have:

• Launched the Future Skills Initiative with initial funding of £100,000 via Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and NRS Dounreay which will support a minimum of four businesses employing an apprentice over three to four years
• Focus North will support young people move into STEM jobs through a local partnership
• Launched a regenerator accelerator – established in partnership with Net Zero Nation to support 15 local businesses reach net zero
• Focus North has been successful in securing £30,000 towards supporting the initial cohort of peatland training which will see around 15 participants embark on a week of training and onsite learning delivered by the local college
• Completed a detailed study of transport requirements and modelling to understand where they are and what is needed with partners, Highland Council and NRS Dounreay collaborating on a pilot programme based on findings
• Significant partner investment to support Wick Harbour in emergency repairs
• Successfully retained the Public Service Obligations status for Wick-Aberdeen flights​ with a detailed business case ​showing 20% passenger growth​

Focus North demonstrates that partnership working can deliver impactful results.

Tourism businesses and organisations from across the North Highlands are set to attend Venture North’s annual Tourism Gathering later in March.

Venture North is the Destination Management Organisation ( DMO) for Caithness and Sutherland. Venture North works with local businesses, communities, and stakeholders to provide a united voice and vision for the development and promotion of responsible, sustainable tourism across the region.

The focus of this year’s Tourism Gathering is to explore “Destination Opportunities for the North Highlands” with introductions from keynote speakers Marc Crothall MBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance and Chris Taylor, Visit Scotland’s Destination Development Director for the Highlands and Islands, who will set the scene from a Scottish and worldwide perspective.
The day will also include NatureScot (Flow Country UNESCO bid) and the UNESCO Northwest Highlands Geopark sharing the opportunities and benefits of UN ESCO world heritage status, Community Tourism Initiatives with the John O’Groats Mill & Development Trust and Wick Development Trust, Visit Scotland supporting Travel Trade ready businesses, and Caithness Chamber of Commerce & Developing Young Workforce (DYW) North Highland on opportunities for careers and young people in Tourism and Hospitality.

With updates, practical workshops and ample networking opportunities delegates will have a full day to share ideas, inspire each other, build collaborations ahead of the peak visitor season and contribute to future strategic planning for the North Highland region.

Cathy Earnshaw, Destination Strategy Manager at Venture North comments: “By working together, we can maximise the immense destination opportunities that the North Highlands hold, while ensuring we care for and protect our amazing environments and communities who live here. This is our third annual Tourism Gathering and each one has built crucial steps in our Destination Strategy by harnessing the collective knowledge and passion of our industry, created new ideas and collaborations and enabled Venture North, as the representative voice of tourism for the region. With new legislation such as a potential Visitor Levy on the horizon, it is essential in our role the views of our North Highland region are part of future consultations and planning for the benefit of all.”

This year’s Tourism Gathering takes place at Mackays Hotel in Wick on Thursday 28th March, and is supported by Caithness Chamber of Commerce & Developing the Young Workforce North Highland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, NRS Dounreay, and VisitScotland.

Trudy Morris, Chief Executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce & Developing Young Workforce (DYW) North Highland Lead said: “Caithness Chamber of Commerce and Developing the Young Workforce North Highland are delighted to be principal sponsors for the Venture North Tourism Gathering 2024. The North Highland region is an exceptional tourist destination, showcasing breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and unique cultural experiences that appeal to visitors from every corner of the globe.

The region offers an authentic and warm highland welcome to visitors throughout the year. Facilitating connections for young people to opportunities within our renowned hospitality and tourism sector is crucial. It opens doors to a range of rewarding career paths, nurtures skill enhancement and plays a pivotal role in driving local economic prosperity.

The event offers businesses a unique opportunity to network and make valuable connections with fellow hospitality businesses and organisations. It also gives DYW North Highland insight into how we can work collaboratively and showcase hospitality and tourism as a career of choice, which will help ensure businesses are equipped with the skills they need to thrive.”
There is currently a wait list for tickets to the event and reservations for these can be made via Eventbrite or contact info@venture-north.co.uk for more details.

In honour of Scottish Apprentice Week 2024, a national celebration of apprenticeships, Caithness Business Fund (CBF) is also highlighting some of the fantastic apprenticeship opportunities it has supported and showcasing the businesses and young people who are driving skills generation across the North Highlands.

The Fund, has now provided support for 20 local apprenticeships across a diverse range of sectors and building on this success has recently announced its new FutureSkills Initiative. Thanks to a significant investment boost of £100,000 from NRS Dounreay and the NDA, the FutureSkills initiative is designed to tackle skills shortages and drive investment in new opportunities for both businesses and young people in the North Highlands.

The Caithness Business Fund gladly supported The Caithness Collection with a contribution towards apprenticeship training for Kian Mackay, who joined the hotel part-time whilst still at school and has already progressed through a professional cookery apprenticeship, before beginning an apprenticeship in hospitality supervision and leadership.

Kian commented “This apprenticeship has been a huge boost to my confidence, knowing someone has invested in me has pushed me to work hard and further my career ambitions. I’ve always felt I learn better by taking an active role in what I am doing, Andrew has been a great mentor, and his support has been invaluable, I would like to advance further within the hospitality industry.”

Andrew Makay, owner of The Caithness Collection commented “The Hospitality sector is brimming with opportunities, and it’s certainly a career that can take you all over the world, but there is also a valuable, viable and exciting career opportunity right here in the north Highlands. As an employer, we feel it is our responsibility to nurture our own home-grown talent, so we can cultivate skills, knowledge, and expertise.”

“For us, it’s not about keeping them forever, as much as we would love to, but enriching the hospitality sector overall and seeing our young workforce thrive. Support from the Caithness Business Fund is a great boost for our own business, and I would certainly encourage others to apply.”

In 2023, Skye Maccoll and Abigail Hooker joined Gow Groundworks as business administration apprentices and have quickly become invaluable members of the Gow Groundworks team.

Shona Kirk, Gow Groundworks commented “We have been delighted with how hardworking and enthusiastic both our young apprentices are. The opportunity to train and nurture our own talent means we can tailor the training exactly to our business needs. We can already see the impact our apprentices have had on the business and we are excited to see them grow and develop with the business.”

Abigail commented “I went to University and soon realised it wasn’t for me, I wanted to stay closer to home and I wasn’t enjoying the style of study. But this apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to work and learn on the job, we are learning so much about all of the different aspects of running a business, from finance and costings to health and safety, and it has opened my eyes to all of the opportunities and avenues there are for me to pursue my career goals.”

Assistance from the Fund is helping to “level up” access to apprenticeships for small-to-medium enterprises in the North Highlands, ensuring businesses and organisations of all sizes are equipped with skills needed both now and in the future. Eligible SMEs can access grants from the Fund to help with employment and associated training costs for accredited apprenticeship opportunities within their business.

Apprenticeship Grants are available to businesses which can demonstrate a strong commitment to hosting a modern apprenticeship, providing a supportive pathway and desire to grow and create employment. The FutureSkills initiative will offer eligible businesses the opportunity to access financial grant support of up to £24,500 over a maximum period of three years, towards employment and associated training costs of an apprentice.

Trudy Morris, Executive Director of the Caithness Business Fund and CEO of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, managing agent of the Fund, commented:

“It’s clear we have some incredibly ambitious and talented young people in the North Highlands. Apprenticeships do have the power to energise the economy and give businesses the skills they need.”

“We are delighted to have the backing of NRS Dounreay and the NDA on this initiative, which recognises the critical importance of apprentices in the workforce. The Caithness Business Fund has a strong track record of delivering on apprenticeship support and this seed funding provides a fantastic platform to help businesses to prosper.”

To find out more about the Caithness Business Fund and the FutureSkills apprenticeship grant scheme contact the Fund team on : Tel: 01847 500104 | Email: enquiries@caithnessbusinessfund.co.uk