In our next Sector Spotlight Campaign on IT and Communications we hear from Gordon Robinson who is a Product Manager at Kyloe.
 
Gordon left school at 16 and joined the Fleet Auxiliary as a Marine Engineer Officer.  He then joined the NHS as an Admin Assistant on a temporary basis, but remained for eight years, leaving as a Senior Manager.  Gordon then worked in product management for a healthcare software company in Edinburgh, before joining Kyloe last year as Product Manager.

For Jobs of the Week this week we have three separate apprenticeships with R Clouston, WRC Construction and Colin Stout. We also have seasonal positions with Kenny Foulis Gardening Services and Orkney Islands Council and many more. 

We are continuing our Sector Spotlight series on the IT and Communication industry and we now hear from Garry Peace, a Software Developer (Products) at Kyloe.
 
Garry started his studies at Orkney College after leaving school, achieving his HND.  He then worked in various jobs before going back to college to get his degree in Computing Science,  after which he started working at Kyloe, initially as an SQL Developer before moving into his current role.

In our next Sector Spotlight on the IT and Communications industry we hear from Graeme Scollay who is Operations Manager at RM Computing.
 
After leaving school, Graeme worked at a BT call centre in Thurso which included various roles which led onto him pursuing a career in IT.  He moved into a role on the IT Helpdesk for another business in Thurso, developing his skills and knowledge and progressing to a Team Leader role.  Graeme returned to Orkney in 2017, joining RM Computing as IT Support Team Leader before progressing into his current role.

This week’s Sector Spotlight is on the IT and Communications industry.  Today we hear from Andrew Stevenson who is a Software Developer at Kyloe.
 
After graduating with a degree in Computer Science, Andrew  worked in different roles including in a bar and on WordPress sites for a work uniform company, before moving back to Orkney to undertake his current role.

​In our second Sector Spotlight on IT and Communication we hear from Amaya Capracci, who is a Product Consultant at Kyloe in Kirkwall.
 
Amaya has always had an interest in technology and taught herself to code simple things as a teenager.  She has a a Bachelors degree in Journalism as well as an MBA in Marketing and Sales Management and has previously worked as a Marketing Manager.

In our first Sector Spotlight on the IT and Communications industry we hear from AJ Smith, who is a UX/UI Developer at Kyloe in Kirkwall.
 
AJ graduated from Portsmouth University and worked in a local IT company before working freelance while he travelled around Australia.  He then moved back to the UK and worked for another company before moving to Orkney in 2017 and started working at Kyloe.

For Jobs of the Week we have a variety of jobs including three separate apprenticeships at WRC Construction, BBC Radio Orkney & Shetland and one at R Clouston Ltd.

If you need any help with completing your application for any of the jobs here you can find resources to help you write a CV, complete an application form and prepare for an interview on this website, here.

For our next Sector Spotlight on the Retail industry we hear from Shannon Foubister who is a Customer Service and Office Administrator at Willamsons Butchers.
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Shannon’s career path has seen her work at NorthLink as a Customer Service Assistant while completing her NC Administration at Orkney College.  Alongside that she also ran her own business ‘Brough Bakes’, before joining Williamsons Butchers.

In our first Sector Spotlight on the Retail industry we hear from Andy Tennant, who is the Store Manager at Tesco in Kirkwall.
 
Andy went to a University in Glasgow where he studied Marketing.  He then joined Safeway Supermarket as a Department Manager in 1997, before moving to Tesco in 2001 where he worked his way up to his current position as Store Manager.​

For Jobs of the Week this week we have a variety of jobs ranging from a Modern Apprenticeship at Ortak to a Mixed Animal Veterinary Nurse at Flett and Carmichael. We also have a Seasonal Worker position at Kenny Foulis Gardening Services and many more.

​It’s Thursday again which only means one thing, Jobs of the Week. For Jobs of the Week this week we have a variety of jobs ranging from a cleaner at Lidl to an apprenticeship with SSE and a front of house role at the Old Library.

The latest issue of our employer's newsletter has been published.

In this issue, you can learn about a campaign which aims to celebrate the achievements and resilience of young people; find out how we are supporting the development of STEM skills in primary pupils and find out more about apprenticeships, including the latest university to offer Graduate Apprenticeships remotely.

You can read the latest issue at the link below.

An exciting opportunity is currently being offered to local people to undertake an Oil and Gas Technical Apprenticeship at the Flotta Oil Terminal.

This is a chance to take part in the Oil and Gas Technical Apprenticeship Programme (OGTAP), which is one of the most successful in the country with a 96% employment rate on completion of the scheme

Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Orkney has granted funding for science kits for each of the islands’ schools.

We awarded the Raising Aspirations in Science Education (RAiSE) programme funding to purchase Meccano, coding creatures, minicomputers, toolkits, and workbenches.

These will be distributed to 19 schools, benefitting more than 1,500 children.

Colin Nisbet, RAiSE Education Support Officer in Orkney, will deliver training to all schools on how to make the most of the resources, as well as developing resources to support learning experiences and opportunities. He said:  “This funding award is incredibly welcome.  We want to bring STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) to life for our children. Educational toys and kits help to spark curiosity, ambition, and problem-solving skills in fun and accessible ways.

“I am going to work alongside our schools to offer training, advice, and ideas so we can get the most from these very valuable resources.”

In an effort to support the local economy, Colin has purchased the Meccano sets through Grooves in Kirkwall.

The sets will promote engineering through play, programming digital technology, and the use of tools. Local businesses will be profiled within the support materials and schools will be encouraged to connect with industry to further bring these lessons to life.

Rachel Scarth, Project Manager, DYW Orkney, said:  “The DYW Orkney Board are very proud of our partnership and support of the RAiSE programme.  We recognise that the development of STEM and digital skills is vitally important for the islands as we progress through a modern economy and we must be proactive in developing our young people for the future. Sparking confidence and excitement in these matters from a young age is a great way to do this.”

RAiSE, a programme of The Wood Foundation, Scottish Government, Education Scotland, and participating local authorities empowers primary teachers with the skills, networks, and confidence to develop and deliver motivating and engaging STEM learning experiences for children. More than half of Scotland’s local authorities have engaged and Colin has been in post focussing on the Orkney area for a year.

Young people across Orkney who need help applying for jobs, apprenticeships or college courses can access support from a new programme created by Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Orkney and Skills Development Scotland (SDS).

​The ‘Planning for the Future’ career management programme is free and includes resources that young people can use if they need help writing a CV, applying for a college course, apprenticeship or job or preparing for an interview.

​This week for Jobs of the Week we have a variety of Full-time and Part-time jobs available, including a part-time Office Administrators job at Isbister Brothers and a full-time job at Sean Stanger Joiner and Building.

Developing the Young Workforce are celebrating the achievements and resilience of young people across Scotland through the Young People are Great campaign.

The campaign aims to highlight the key achievements and resilience of young people across Scotland, raise awareness of the greatness young people bring to any workforce and spread good news, success and motivation.

We invite you to get involved in this new campaign, which will launch on Monday 19 April 2021 and will run until Friday 30 April 2021 using the hashtag #YPAG21

Keen to get involved?  Download the relevant campaign pack, resources and graphics and share your stories with us on social media from Monday 19 – Friday 30 April using #YPAG21.

The Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE) is offering fully funded workshops to employers to help close the Disability Employment Gap.

SUSE want to work with forward-thinking, inclusive, innovative and creative learning organisations to support the Disability Employment Gap, whilst helping employers develop their organisation and the people within it.

s​This week for Jobs of the Week we have a variety of jobs within Orkney Islands Council from a Fitness Adviser to a Clerical Assistant. We also have other local businesses looking for Time-served Joiners and Masons and many more opportunities.

As part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we are helping you understand more about the apprenticeship framework in Scotland.  There are three levels of apprenticeship, Foundation, Modern and Graduate.  Today we are focusing on Graduate Apprenticeships.

This week is Scottish Apprenticeships Week and we have some some apprenticeship opportunities in our Jobs of the Week. These include a fantastic Oil and Gas Technical Apprenticeship with OPITO and a Craft Apprenticeship with Scottish and Southern Energy Network. There is also an opportunity for a time-served painter and decorator with Anderson and Cluness. 

As part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we are helping you understand more about the apprenticeship framework in Scotland.  There are three levels of apprenticeship, Foundation, Modern and Graduate.  Today we are focusing on Modern Apprenticeships.

As part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we are helping you understand more about the apprenticeship framework in Scotland.  There are three levels of apprenticeship, Foundation, Modern and Graduate.  Today we are focusing on Foundation Apprenticeships.

Heriot-Watt University are hosting a series of open forums next week (Monday 1 - Friday 5 March) to help employers and prospective Graduate Apprentices learn more about the benefits that a Graduate Apprenticeship can bring.

These events may be of interest to people or businesses based in Orkney, as Heriot-Watt University will be offering their Graduate Apprenticeship programme online this year, meaning people can undertake this qualification while working and living in Orkney.