The DYW Orkney Regional Group Board have appointed a new Chair and Vice-Chair.

At a recent board meeting, Andy Tennant was voted in as Chair, with Michael Gardens becoming Vice-Chair.  Andy is the Store Manager of Tesco Kirkwall, while Michael is the Managing Director of Ortak as well as the current Chair of Creative Orkney.

They have replaced our former Chair, Edgar Balfour, and Vice-Chair Roy Brown.  We would like to thank Edgar and Roy for their support of the DYW Orkney project while in these roles.  Both remain on the board in order to represent their sectors.

The DYW Orkney Regional Group Board is made up of representatives of some of the key employment sectors in Orkney and they work together to identify and deliver the priorities for DYW Orkney. They have a particular focus on developing the right skills for Orkney's employment market, paying particular attention to the needs of emerging sectors.

To learn more about the DYW Orkney board, click here or read some of our board members' bios here.

Our Jobs of the Week are now available to view and can be accessed at the link below.

This week they include an apprenticeship opportunity with Northlink Ferries as well as the chance to train for specialist roles with NOV Wellstream Processing in Flotta and Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

If you are interested in applying for any of these roles and are looking for some additional help and support in completing your application, preparing for interview or writing a CV, LifeSkills are running a Job Club every Thursday from 9.30am-12pm.  There is no need to make an appointment, just drop-in to their office at Atholl House, Albert Street, Kirkwall (between The Orcadian Bookshop and Logo Orkney) and they will be able to help you.

This week's Jobs of the Week have been published and can be accessed by clicking the link below.

This week, there are full-time positions available in Kirkwall, Stromness and Eday.  There is also a great training opportunity for anyone interested in becoming a chef with a restaurant in Kirkwall.

This week’s Sector Spotlight is on the Leisure and Sports industry. Today we hear from John Cairns who is the Rugby Development Officer with Orkney Rugby Football Club (ORFC).
 
John worked in a range of facilities and sport roles which led him to be offered the job as Rugby Development Officer.

You can see this week’s DYW Orkney ‘Jobs of the Week’ by clicking the link below.

Tip: Get creative with your job search! Check out this article in our website on different ways to search for jobs.

​This week’s Sector Spotlight is on the Leisure and Sport Industry. Today we hear from Karen Walker who is the Principal Librarian for Orkney Library and Archive.
 
Karen didn’t know what she wanted to do when she left school. She joined a Youth Opportunities Programme and was offered work in the Laing Street Library. She loved this work and continued training in her role and worked her way up the ladder.

​This week’s Sector Spotlight is on the Leisure and Sport Industry. Today we hear from Mark Jenkins who is the Chair and Programmer for West Side Cinema.
 
Mark’s career has come full circle. He has worked in cinemas, gone to university, won a Scottish BAFTA and finally he helped set up the voluntary community cinema in Stromness – West Side Cinema.

​This week’s Sector Spotlight is on the Leisure and Sport Industry. Today we hear from Joanne Bamford who is a Community Sports Officer with Orkney Islands Council.
 
Joanne has worked in Scotland and America in various sports roles before she moved to Orkney to continue her journey in the sector.

​In the last of our Sector Spotlight on Land-based industries, we hear from Ann Scott, who is the Secretary of the Orkney Agricultural Society (OAS).  The OAS Committee are responsible for the organising and running of the County Show, as well as the County Ploughing Match and Harvest Home.
 
Ann works part-time for the Orkney Business Ring as a Training Co-ordinator, alongside her voluntary position as Secretary.

​This week’s Sector Spotlight is on Land-based industries, which includes farming and the various businesses that support it.  Today we here from Madeleine Brady who is a Vet with Northvet.
 
Madeleine trained to be a vet straight out of school in her native Australia.  After she qualified, she worked for a couple of years in Australia before heading off on her travels which saw her spending two years working around the UK.  After being in Orkney in 2016, she decided to move back earlier this year.

You can see this week’s DYW Orkney ‘Jobs of the Week’ by clicking the link below.
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Tip: The Orkney Employment Consultancy can help you find a job and has useful resources - click here to go to visit their website.

This week’s Sector Spotlight is on Land-based industries, which includes farming and the various businesses that support it.  Today we hear from Kerry Omand who is a Regional Policy Advisor for NFU Scotland and a Farmer.
 
Kerry began her career working the care sector before going back to farming and taking on her role with NFU Scotland.  Last year, Kerry was awarded the Young Livestock Ambassador Award at the Royal Highland Show and she writes a monthly column, ‘Kerry on Farming’ in The Orcadian.

Exam results will be published on Tuesday 6 August 2019, and if your results are not what you expected, don’t panic you still have options – and there are experts on hand to help you navigate the next part of your journey.
 
From 8am on Tuesday 6 August, a dedicated Exam Results Helpline from Skills Development Scotland (SDS) will be running with Careers Advisers waiting to answer calls and offer advice, information and support to young people and their parents.
 
You can call the helpline on 0808 100 8000.  It will be open from 8am-8pm on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 August, then 9am-5pm on weekdays from Thursday 8 to Wednesday 14 August 2019.
 
If you’d rather speak to a familiar face, on Tuesday 6 August, Findlay will be holding an exam results drop-in session at Stromness Academy between 10am and 3pm while Karen will be in the KGS between 9am-3pm.
 
You can also speak to Careers Advisers at the SDS Careers Centre in Kirkwall.  You can either drop into the centre or give them a call on 01856 872 460 to make an appointment.
 
You can find further advice on My World of Work. 

This week’s Sector Spotlight is on Land-based industries.  This includes those who work in farming and the various industries and businesses that support it.
 
Today, we hear from Lindsay Grant who is a Registered Veterinary Nurse with Northvet.  Lindsay always knew she wanted to work with animals and started with Northvet on a work placement while still at school.  This led to a Saturday job and, after leaving school, training to be a Vet Nurse and a full-time job with the business.  In addition to this, Lindsay runs dog grooming business Hair Off The Dog from home.

Next week, pupils across Scotland will receive their exam results.  For many their next step will depend on the results they achieve and it can be disheartening if the outcome is not what they had hoped for.
 
When you’re young, it can seem that those older than you had an easy journey from school to their current job.  However, this is not always (if ever) the case.  Many people leave school with no clear idea about what they want to do next, and if they do they may not necessarily end up in that job.

You can see this week’s DYW Orkney ‘Jobs of the Week’ by clicking the link below.
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Tip: At the end of your interview, ask at least two questions. This shows your interest in the role and the company.