Employment & Training Group
Leader: Neil Lebeter
Origin and Aims:
LUCT’s Employment and Training Working Group started work in 2022 as a direct response to one of the top findings from our Community Needs survey in 2021: to promote long-term (non-seasonal) jobs and training opportunities.
The group connects a range of community and statutory organisations with a remit to promote employment opportunities. Meetings allow them to share their activities with others and obtain valuable feedback from an area that can be hard to reach given the distance of many statutory bodies from Ullapool.
Organisations represented:
Highland Council
Skills Development Scotland
Enable
Developing Young Workforce West Highlands
Ullapool Youth Space
Ulluminate CIC
UHI North, West and Hebrides
Current Issues Under Discussion.
Changing employment scene in the Highlands - horizon scanning for new opportunities
Available training and funding
Tackling childcare barriers to employment
Creating ‘scaffolded’ employment opportunities to protect and nurture wellbeing while working, eg. through ongoing coaching
Modern apprenticeship and work experience opportunities
Developing a youth-led social enterprise as a case study for other businesses
Organising careers fairs
Past projects:
Lochbroom Staff Pool (see box)
Work experience through Ulluminate CIC
How often do we meet?
Every six weeks, hybrid meetings
Interested in joining?
Email us at info@ullapoolcommunity.org
Lochbroom Staff Pool enters new phase in 2024
In 2023 Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust (LUCT) ran a pilot trial of Lochbroom Staff Pool through which residents helped out local businesses looking for ad hoc staff cover when regular staff are off sick or at busy times. This came in response to a public meeting that was well attended by hospitality businesses and accommodation providers.
It’s a small but active group with 27 members including six local businesses. The key things we have learned are:
There was a need
It does work in practice
Both employers and employees found it rewarding and fun
It helped participants to gain employment and to test the kind of jobs that might suit them most
The codes of conduct for employers and employees and group ground rules are respected
Many thanks to Foundation Scotland and EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Education and Training Fund for providing funding during the pilot trial which enabled participants to get skilled in food hygiene, health and safety at work, fire awareness, mental health and physical first aid – all valuable employability skills.
Now that the pilot trial is over, we are going to keep the staff pool going. It’s a What’s App group that can be used at any time. All are welcome to join. Thanks to the positive attitude of the businesses who are part of the pool, it helps those – eg. young people – entering the world of work for the first time or for those who need to earn extra income but cannot commit to regular hours for whatever reason or for anyone needing to gain confidence to return to work.
While LUCT maintains the group as a community notice-board, we take no income and take no employer obligations.
This link will take you to the Lochbroom Staff Pool Whatsapp page if you wish to join, either as an employer looking for cover or an employee. Once you are on the Whatsapp page click on the page name to see how the group works and the group code of conduct, privacy and ground rules. By joining the group we are assuming you have read these rules.
