Life lessons at Loch Ness: Glen Urquhart High School pupils gain real-world work experience with DYW Inverness & Central Highland
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For one week only, pupils at Glen Urquhart High School tore up their timetables to gain an insight into the world of work thanks to an innovative partnership between teachers and business leaders in the local community.
The Week of Work, organised by the school and Developing the Young Workforce Inverness & Central Highland (DYWICH), saw S3 students take part in a series of site visits, hands-on activities, workshops and presentations designed to give them a true insight into what life after school could look like.
DYWICH school coordinator, Ashley Woodhouse said: “The response from pupils and teachers to the Week of Work has been fantastic, and everyone is buzzing with excitement. The enthusiasm and excitement shown by the employers, students and teachers really is infectious.
“At a time when the future may appear daunting to many young people – in the face of climate emergencies, pandemics and rapidly changing workplaces – the local employers clearly showed that the future world of work is a positive one for young people and one that they can shape and fashion for themselves.
“The Week of Work provided a new experience for all involved, bringing together so many different elements of the community to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their future careers.
“The Week of Work was a fantastic catalyst for the local business community to build effective working relationships and partnerships with teaching staff to bring the world of work closer to education."
Throughout the week, pupils were given the chance to gain in depth knowledge in a range of sectors including emergency services, healthcare, renewable energy, early years care, the arts, land management, hospitality and tourism.
RJ McLeod, AOC Archaeology and the Highland Council engineering and ecology teams – for example – provided a whole-day site experience at the Drumnadrochit Flood Prevention Project, including work-related activities. This gave pupils a fantastic insight into the collaboration and skills required to pull off such a major project.
Specially designed workshops and activities included hands-on early childcare experience, discovering heritage opportunities at Urquhart Castle, and learning about the future of renewable energy provision in Scotland. Pupils also benefited from an audience with acclaimed actor Nicola Roy, who highlighted career opportunities in the performing arts and media. Musician and BBC Radio Scotland host Gary Innes provided a young and relatable person's outlook for the students' potential next steps in a workplace.
DYWICH and Skills Development Scotland worked together to provide career and employability workshops, designed to increase pupils’ knowledge of job applications, CV writing and interview skills.
Developing the Young Workforce Inverness & Central Highland is part of a national framework of regional employer-led boards across Scotland. Formed as part of the Scottish Government’s youth employment strategy, and hosted by Inverness Chamber of Commerce, the group’s aim is to develop sustainable links between schools, colleges and employers.
David Humphris, principal teacher of guidance and post-school at Glen Urquhart High School, said: “The Week of Work is unlike any other school work experience programme, giving pupils a fast-paced and exciting snapshot of many career opportunities for their post-school lives.
“As S3 pupils come to the end of their junior phase at school and are faced with making important subject choices, it’s fantastic for them to gain insight into how those choices can help them towards their future careers.
“The Week of Work has helped focus their attention on the career opportunities available on their doorstep. We’d like to offer our thanks to DYWICH and all of the businesses and contributors involved for donating their time and resources to inspire young people in our community.
“As a school, we will continue to encourage and support every student through their education as they develop valuable life skills and discover which career is the right fit for them. We also plan to build on the links forged with these businesses, to once again bring together classroom lessons and the world of work.”
Other businesses which took part in the Week of Work included the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, Karen Price Art, Helen Gillespie Yoga, Proterra-Energy, Soirbheas, SSE, Cobbs, Mitie, the Woodland Trust, Forest & Land Scotland, Bunloit Rewilding Estate, 42cycling, Historic Environment Scotland, and Glen Urquhart Child Care Centre.
