Success of first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair
The first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair held last month has proved to be a hit with participants and businesses.
The week-long virtual event, which was delivered by the Local Employability Partnership for the West – The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Department for Work and Pensions, Developing the Young Workforce and UHI North West and Hebrides was timed to coincide with Scottish Careers Week 2024.
Chair of Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans, said: “We would like to thank all the participants and all the businesses who took part. I’d also like to especially thank the Developing the Young Workforce team for their role in engaging with employers.
“I am pleased that the feedback has been very positive. The flexible approach of hosted on-line sessions proved popular, with people able to take part from the comfort of their own home. It was a great opportunity to showcase the wide range of opportunities there are for people to develop and learn new skills and the full-time and part-time opportunities businesses have, along with apprenticeship schemes and initiatives to attract seasonal and year-round workers.”
Over 200 people registered to take part ahead of the event. All of the sessions attracted a steady flow of participants over the week, 246 attendances in total, with many choosing to take part in more than one of the on-line sessions hosted by the participating businesses.
Seventeen employers took part including Torbhaig Distillary, Carr Gomm, Dounreay, Sheil Buses, BEAR Scotland, Balfour Beatty, The Highland Council, O’Brien Recycling Ltd, RAF, ICAS, Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Aurora Energy, NHS, Wills Bros Civil Engineering, Cross Reach, Meallmore and Key Housing.
Following on from the success of the event, the Council’s employability team are looking to run another virtual jobs fair from the 17 – 21 March 2025. If employers or job seekers are interested in taking part in the event, they should contact employability@highland.gov.uk or check the Work.Life.Highland website for updates.