OREANDA-NEWS. July 03, 2015. A new group of young Highlanders have embarked on the journey to put their energy and skills into action as they prepare to leave high school, with the support of a team from Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution.

Earlier in the month, 175 students about to enter S4 from 16 schools across the Highlands gathered at the Black Isle Showground, near Muir of Ord, to be get their first taste of the Bridge to Employment programme.  

The induction day saw students take part in a wide selection of outdoor activities designed by businesses to test initiative, reasoning and teamwork skills.

SSEPD Construction Manager Keith Hay says, “Bridge to Employment is all about opening up the world of work to young people in the north and making sure they have the confidence to grasp the opportunities ahead of them. 

“It aims to provide a range of challenges, insight and experience, which helps immediately with building a strong CV and also in developing longer term skills for college, university and work.

“It’s great to see the enthusiasm of this new intake.  The task given to them by SSEPD at the induction day required initiative and teamwork to move safely through a restricted area, negotiating an obstacle, and evacuating a dummy representing an injured person to safety. They had to think quickly and work together to succeed – and every group rose to that challenge.”

The Bridge to Employment programme is coordinated by Highland Council, building on an idea brought to the area by diabetes test kit manufacturer Lifescan Scotland and now supported by a diverse group of north businesses and organisations - including Highlands and Islands Airports, CapGemini, SSEPD, Skills Development Scotland and the University of the Highlands and Islands. 

Bridge to Employment enables businesses to work with students in the final years of high school to help them make a successful transition from education to the workplace - whether directly or via further study.  It particularly highlights the career opportunities that exist in science, technology, mathematics and engineering.

SSEPD’s support for Bridge to Employment is now in its second year and includes a particular focus on schools in the Great Glen. 77 S5 students who completed the first year of the programme last year are continuing with further activities and one-to-one mentoring this year.