WATCH: Highlands take step forward to retain the young workforce with Powering Futures
Powering Futures, the social enterprise which aims to bring together the employers of today and the employees of tomorrow, hosted an event which saw dozens of businesses geared up to understand how they can put young people at the forefront of their business and retain Highland employment.
Powering Futures works towards the shared goals of prosperity and sustainability with hundreds of schools across the country, as well as partnering with numerous businesses.
The event was delivered in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, BAM and Highland News and Media.
Powering Futures Live saw the next generation of leaders directly engage with forward-thinking businesses who are revolutionising workplace innovation, talent development and driving positive change in the north of Scotland.
Co-founder of Powering Futures, Jennifer Tempany said: “The session reinforced the exciting future evolving throughout the Highlands and equally emphasised the concerns over the lack of a future workforce and talent retention.
“There was broad agreement that we need to join up the dots and strategically work together to align the resources required. We were delighted that the organisations agreed that Powering Futures should be part of the solution and that taking positive action now is crucial.”
The event offered a unique platform for businesses and education to come together and discuss how to engage the young workforce, and explore what companies are doing to develop and retain their employees.
Leia Pol (23), from Inverness, started her journey with Powering Futures when taking part in a workplace development course. Now starting her career as a sustainability co-ordinator at RSE, Leia said: “I think young people naturally would like to leave home to go to the central belt just because that’s where they see the most opportunities presented to them, but Powering Futures really help support education to bring those opportunities to light for young people in the Highlands.
“The green energy transition will be a huge opportunity for young people in the Highlands and I think that it’s important that schools and businesses work together to realise these opportunities for young people.”
Representatives from Zero Waste Scotland, Bilfinger, Scottish Water and HIE all took part in a panel discussion, followed by closing remarks from Angus MacDonald, MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire.
When talking about his sustainable future ambitions, Angus said: “I think one of the best things about Powering Futures is that they are focusing schools and the young on the opportunity.
“I personally think that we need the STEM subjects taught in a much more focused way at school and I think that the University of Highlands and Islands really ought to be a technical college.
“That means that the young can then stay in the Highlands and really make fantastic money over the next decade.”
Powering Futures was set up in 2020 to empower the young and future workforce with the skills, critical thinking, and enthusiasm to help their organisation transition to net zero.
In bringing together schools and businesses, it then tasks teams of S5 and S6 pupils with solving a sustainability problem set by an industry, and supports them in coming up with creative solutions through teamwork and climate skills. At the end of the process, participants will earn a SCQF Level 6 qualification.
A teacher from Forres Academy, who has just started teaching this course to 18 pupils, is thoroughly enjoying it. She said: “I felt that it was a good opportunity to deliver a new course about sustainable development, but also looking at skills and how we can identify skills that industry and businesses need.
“It has been beneficial as it gets pupils interactive all the time. They’re learning about something and they don’t necessarily realise that they are learning about something.”
This practical skill style of teaching and learning has proved to be highly successful and sustainable for future generations as Powering Futures now aim to continue in their mission to amend the disconnect between schools and businesses across the country.
