Scottish education minister Jamie Hepburn gets a lesson in the move to net zero when he visits Inverness College UHI

Inverness College UHI's role in helping Scotland transition to net zero was highlighted during a visit by Scotland's minister for further and higher education.

Jamie Hepburn MSP also heard about the college’s work to support the Covid-19 recovery in the region and help young people into studying, train or work.

This includes working with multinational business services group Capgemini to deliver Modern Apprenticeships and CISCO-accredited IT Essentials training to its employees following the firm’s recruitment drive for new IT and cyber security staff in the Highlands.

Across the region, the college is working with employers to upskill and reskill staff as well as support business growth through a range of different funding and innovation schemes.

Around 700 Modern Apprenticeships are currently delivered by the college across a variety of sectors, with more than 80 per cent of participants aged 16 to 24. The move towards renewables and more energy-efficient practices is driving growth in some areas, including construction and engineering.

Mr Hepburn met Inverness College UHI principal and chief executive Professor Chris O’Neil and tertiary education leader Carrie Higgins for a tour of the campus and to hear how the college is working to fill skills gaps in areas such as engineering, construction, built environment, forestry and applied sciences, and also about its focus on more sustainable practices and climate change impacts.

The college is set to become the Energy Skills Partnership North Hub for the Automotive Training Network, a move which will see it delivering electric vehicle safety training to automotive technicians. The Scottish School of Forestry is working with the sector to address the skills shortage in the forestry industry, while, in construction, there is increasing focus on new, emerging reusable technologies, digital skills and innovative, off-site construction methods.

Professor O’Neil said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Further Education and Higher Education, to Inverness College UHI to learn more about our work. We are working closely with employers and industry bodies to ensure we play our role in supporting the Highland region in the Covid-19 recovery and the transition to a net zero green economy.”

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