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.

​Are you currently considering your next steps into education, employment or training but need some extra help?  Developing the Young Workforce Orkney and Skills Development Scotland have developed an online careers event to help you make decisions about your future.
 
The ‘Your Next Steps’ careers event provides information and advice on Work, Support and, Education and Training.  You will find a mix of videos, presentations and links to other websites to help you take your next step.

​An online game which has been designed to help close the skills gap in the engineering sector has been launched and is now available to play.
 
Enginuity and the Prince’s Trust have created Skills Miner, an online game that can identify people who have what it takes to power the nation’s economic recovery when the lockdown is lifted.

​Students who intend to study Law at a Scottish University next year have a chance to apply for a bursary to support them through their degree.

​To celebrate Scottish Apprenticeships Week, we are highlighting the diversity that makes work-based learning good for individuals, employers and the economy.
 
Throughout the week, BBC Radio Orkney are featuring interviews with local people who are undertaking apprenticeships along with their employers, who are supporting them through the qualification.

Following a successful event last year, NHS Orkney in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Orkney, held a ‘Day in the Life’ event at The Balfour on Friday 15 November. These events help young people learn more about the range of health and social care careers that are available with NHS Orkney.​

The ‘Day in the Life’ event was open to interested pupils from S3-S6 at secondary schools throughout Orkney.

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. 

Are you a school pupil aged 14 years and over who is interested in developing some customer care skills to help you in your part-time job?

​If so, Business Gateway are hosting a FREE Customer Connection Workshop for school pupils to help them develop the vital customer care skills that employers are looking for.

​A six week programme to help young people prepare for their next step after leaving school concluded this week.

In partnership with Skills Development Scotland, DYW Orkney have been working with pupils at Kirkwall Grammar School and Stromness Academy who are planning to leave school at the end of this academic year.  The six week School Leavers’ Programme was developed to help prepare young people for their next step after school.

We’ve had a busy week spreading the message about Foundation Apprenticeships.

On Monday, we held an information evening for senior teaching staff, guidance teachers and careers advisers from local schools. This event was supported by staff from the Work Based Learning Hub at University of the Highlands and Islands and Curriculum Leads from Orkney College UHI.

Those present were given an overview of Foundation Apprenticeships in Scotland and heard some of the success stories from elsewhere in Scotland. The curriculum leads then spoke in more detail about the frameworks being offered in Orkney in 2019, highlighting the academic aspect of the subjects and the benefits the vocational, work placement element offers young people.

On Tuesday we attended the Senior Phase Parent's Evening at Stromness Academy to speak to parents about the Foundation Apprenticeships being offered.

Thursday saw us, along with Orkney College, delivering an input to all teaching staff at Stromness Academy, as part for their in-service training.

All of these inputs have been really beneficial as they have enabled us to inform those who support young people about the options available. We have also been able to answer any questions they may have and help them understand the various options available to learners as part of the Orkney Offer.

There will be four Foundation Apprenticeships available in Orkney next year. They are Business Skills, IT: Software Development, Social Services and Healthcare and, Social Services: Children and Young People. If you would like to learn more about what the can offer, speak to your careers advisers, guidance teachers or Orkney College.

​Thanks to Orkney College, University of the Highlands and Islands and local schools for their support at these inputs.