Advisory / Counseling Services News
26/9/2011
Mountain Biking Booming - Tourism Workshop
Tourism businesses in the Highlands are being given the opportunity to sign up for a new workshop to help them capitalise on an expected 30 per cent growth in the mountain-biking market over the next five years. Tourism Intelligence Scotland (TIS) and Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland are working in partnership to host two half-day mountain biking workshops for tourism and cycling businesses, based around the intelligence and practical ideas highlighted in TIS's 'Mountain Biking Tourism in Scotland' guide.26/9/2011
Caithness and NS Regeneration P'Ship - Update
Week commencing 19th September: Energy: Together with Simon Coles in his role as Inward Investment manager on secondment to HIE I met with two representatives from a major UK company seeking to develop its involvement in the renewables industry. We were able to show them several key local facilities, and introduce them to several local companies.25/9/2011
Impact of Community Business in the Highlands and Islands?
HIE investigates impact of community business in the Highlands and Islands Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is investigating the role of community run businesses - in a bid to see how the wider Scottish economy might benefit. HIE, which has a unique role as a social and economic development agency, has for over 40 years recognised the importance of social enterprise to the economy.16/9/2011
Inverness To Host Scotland's Largest Marine Energy Conference
Inverness is warming up to host Scotland's largest marine conference and exhibition at Eden Court Theatre next week (19th and 20th September). The Scottish Renewables Marine Energy Conference, in association with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), will see over 200 delegates and 30 exhibitors attending.14/9/2011
Radioactive Waste - What Will Stay?
Dounreay sets out what will stay and what will go Dounreay's decommissioning contractor today sets out what will happen to an estimated 300,000 tonnes of radioactive material from the clean-out and closure of the former nuclear research site. More than 99 per cent is expected to remain indefinitely at Dounreay.
3/9/2011
Highlands and Islands Producers give London a Taste of Scotland
Seven food and drink producers from across the Highlands and Islands are preparing to take their places at one of the biggest exhibitions of the year this weekend Scotland Food and Drink are running the Scottish Pavilion at the Speciality and Fine Food Fair at London's Olympia Exhibition Centre from 4-6 September. The North's businesses will be amongst those displaying their products within the themed 'Scotland Land of Food and Drink' area, showcasing some of the country's wonderful natural larder products and fantastic producers.3/9/2011
Dingwall business creating up to 50 emergency response jobs
Dingwall is to become home to an emergency response team which will provide round the clock help to people over 500 miles away. Internationally renowned outsourcing firm Vertex, which has bases in both Dingwall and Forres, is expanding its Ross-shire based contract with Westminster City Council to provide 24 hour services for social services and its environmental action line.2/9/2011
Keiss Primary Get Prizes From New Community Benefit Fund
A new company has been established to distribute £4m funding from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) for community projects in the Dounreay travel to work area. The Community Benefit Fund has been provided in association with the construction of a low level waste facility soon to be built at Dounreay.
30/8/2011
Caithness and NS Regeneration Partnership Latest Update
Week commencing 22nd August: Energy: Graeme Rankin of the NDA Competition team and Anna MacConnell, the NDA's Stakeholder Relations and Socio-Economic Manager, updated several local stakeholders on current position with the Dounreay PBO competition. It was good to have the timetable for the remainder of the competition process laid out clearly, with the preferred bidder announcement due in late November and share transfer from current to new PBO scheduled for the beginning of April 2012.20/8/2011
HAVE YOU DONE YOUR HOMEWORK?
The freedom of working from home is fast becoming the next big thing for people involved in business services. Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) is keen to make sure that people in the Caithness and Sutherland area are ready to grasp the opportunities becoming available.15/8/2011
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership
From Eann Sinclair Programme Manager Week commencing 8th August: Energy: I met this week with Ian Couper, Chief Executive of Energy North (formerly North of Scotland Industries Group). We are making arrangements for a joint meeting of Highland Council and Orkney Islands Council representatives in the next few weeks, to discuss collaborative opportunities in marine energy.31/7/2011
HIE and UHI inspire the region's future workforce
Young people across the Highlands and Islands are to be encouraged and inspired to take qualifications in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), thanks to Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). HIE has been successful in its bid to secure a new 45 month contract with STEMNET, a national organisation that creates opportunities to inspire young people in STEM.19/7/2011
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership
From Eann Sinclair Programme Manager Week commencing 11th July: Energy: Together with representatives from Highland Council, Caithness Chamber of Commerce, Thurso & Wick Trades Council and Dounreay Stakeholder Group I met this week with consultants engaged by one of the companies involved in the Dounreay PBO Competition. They have been asked to help identify ways in which a new PBO at Dounreay can best add value to the economic and socio-economic future of the area.11/7/2011
ARE YOU AGED 60+ AND IN NEED OF HOUSING?
Cairn Housing Association has a number of 1 bedroom flats and studio apartments available for Immediate Let in its sheltered housing complex Caberfeidh Court, Wick The flats have a living room, bedroom, entrance hall, separate kitchen, bathroom and storage area. The studio apartments have a combined living room/bedroom, entrance hall, separate kitchen, bathroom and storage area.11/7/2011
Proposal To Move Breeder Fuel From Dounreay To Sellafield
The NDA has published Preferred and Credible Options associated with the management of DFR breeder material, currently stored at Dounreay. The paper describes and discusses the relevant factors associated with each high level option, and draws conclusions based on the analysis.
10/7/2011
Highlands and Islands Businesses Urged To Apply For £23 Million Fund
Highlands and Islands businesses are being encouraged to apply to a £23 million fund supported by the Technology Strategy Board and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The DALLAS (Delivering Assisted Living Lifestyles at Scale) Fund aims to establish up to five communities across the UK to explore how technologies and services can be used to promote health and wellbeing, enabling people to live independently regardless of their location.6/7/2011
Attracting Inward Investment for Caithness and North Sutherland
A novel approach in combining the skills of the private and public sectors is being tried in Caithness and North Sutherland. A senior project manager with internationally renowned engineering services company Babcock International is working on secondment with the North's social and economic development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
1/7/2011
Graduates Sought For Placement Programme
Graduates are being offered exciting opportunities to expand their business experience through paid placements with local firms across the Highlands and Islands. Organisations from a range of sectors including food and drink, renewable energy, and software development are amongst those offering posts which will offer valuable experience to graduates and support their own business development.26/6/2011
Aberdeen Engineering Company Set To Expand Caithness Operation 
AMC Engineering Ltd, whose head office is at Findon just outside Aberdeen, is set to expand their Caithness division by building a new workshop at their site outside Lybster, with the assistance of a grant of £76,250 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Managing Director Andrew Polson, who hails from Caithness and whose parents still live on the family croft at Smerlie next door to the company's workshops, explained that the skill and application of the local work-force was a key factor in deciding to site the new workshop in the north.
24/6/2011
