Workforce Development in the Highlands

Towards the end of last year, I was invited by Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) to participate in some schools engagement work in the Elgin, Moray area.

Many Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) members across Scotland engage with DYW, assisting with initiatives to make it easier for employers to connect with students and prospective employees and it’s exciting to hear how energising this type of work is for employers.

SWA member Tomatin Distillery recently worked with DYW in Inverness and Central Highlands to partner with Millburn Academy to create a new mural to celebrate the distillery and all the people, landscape and industry in the region.  A really exciting piece of work and such a creative way of bringing in lots of different skills!

Amongst the events I was invited to, I was invited to speak to students at Elgin High School to let them know all about working in a trade association, the SWA being a trade association which works  to secure a sustainable future for the Scotch Whisky industry.

I was asked to share my opinions on transferrable skills and to let students know my “top tips” for the workplace.

I must admit that I had given this quite a lot of thought, it’s quite a responsibility to talk to people on the cusp of starting their working lives. I didn’t want to dissuade the students from exploring potential roles in policy, or indeed in the Scotch Whisky industry.

Equally, I think it’s important to always challenge the status quo, and one of the ways that we can do that is to be open about our thoughts and experiences. So here is my list of “top tips” which I sprung on a group of unsuspecting students! What do you think?

• Firstly, be brave. It can be difficult explore things without a little brass neck.
• It’s important to be curious. None of us know what we don’t know, to coin a phrase.
• We need prospective employees to be rebellious and challenge existing workplace norms.
• In order to build your skills, recognise that repetition is key.
• I think it’s your business to know your stuff. Become a go to person in some topic or other.
• As ever, it’s important to look beyond labels and stereotypes and see the person.
• Strive for quality of work, however that looks for the job.

What do you think? Do you agree with me? Let me know!