Paid Summer Placement opportunities for Highland businesses

9th February 2026

Let's work together to create opportunities that make a real difference for our young people.

The Highland Council is delighted to announce that we will be hosting Paid Summer Placements again in 2026, as part of our commitment to supporting young people in gaining valuable work experience.

We would like to invite businesses across the Highland Council area to join us in hosting a Paid Summer Placement. By taking part, you will be supporting the development of our future Highland workforce and providing young people with valuable experience that can help shape their career paths.

Education Committee Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: "Following the successful Paid Summer Placement pilot in 2025, the Council is expanding the opportunity with the ambition of offering senior phase pupils aged 16 and over the chance to gain valuable work experience during the 2026 summer holidays. This initiative helps young people broaden their understanding of the wide range of career pathways available across different sectors.

"The Council is encouraging other businesses to get in touch to explore how they can also get involved and play a part in shaping the workforce of the future, right here in the Highlands."

The Highland Council model offers:

27.5 hours per week for 4 weeks during the school summer holidays.

Opportunities open to senior phase pupils aged 16 and over.

This initiative is vital for our region because it:

Ensures young people are aware of local career opportunities

Highlights alternative routes to qualifications, including Modern Apprenticeships (MA) and Graduate Apprenticeships (GA)

Helps reduce outward migration for higher and further education

Supports the retention of local talent
Contributes to a strong and sustainable economy across the Highlands

In partnership with the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) teams across Highland, the Council will promote businesses Paid Placement opportunities within schools, ensuring they are visible and accessible to young people across the region.

Benefits for Employers

Access to motivated young talent who bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm.

Early engagement with potential future employees, helping build your talent pipeline.

Positive community impact, demonstrating your commitment to local development and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Enhanced visibility and reputation as a supporter of youth employability.

Opportunity to shape the skills and attitudes of the future workforce.

If you would like to be part of this programme or learn more about how it works, please complete link Summer Paid Placements 2026 Fill in form
Summer Paid Placements 2026 Fill in form or contact our Project Officer Kerry.nicholas@highland.gov.uk to discuss further.

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

2/7/2026 : Local Authority

A New Pay Deal For England's Teachers But Scottish Teach Are Still Better Paid But Councils Are Landed With The Problem

teachers in Scotland are generally still paid more than teachers in England, although the gap varies depending on experience and location.   The UK Government has announced a two-year pay deal for teachers in England: 3.5% from September 2026 3.0% from September 2027 This is a cumulative increase of around 6.6% over two years.  

26/6/2026 : Local Authority

The Highland Council agree next steps for Visitor Levy scheme

The Highland Council has agreed to continue working with the tourism industry to co-design a draft Visitor Levy scheme for the Highlands.   It follows the Council securing greater flexibility from The Scottish Government on how a Visitor Levy could be applied and administered, after feedback from accommodation providers and industry groups across the Highlands about a percentage-based charge.  

26/6/2026 : Local Authority

Highland Wealth Fund to create lasting legacy from renewable energy development

The Highland Council has agreed plans to establish a Highland Wealth Fund to create a lasting legacy from renewable energy development and support long-term benefits for communities across the region.   Inspired by the principles of the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, the new partnership-led fund will support strategic, regional, area and local priority projects, helping to ensure that the opportunities created by the energy transition deliver lasting value for current and future generations.  

25/6/2026 : Local Authority

Apply For Education Maintenance Allowance If you are 16 to 19 years old

If you are 16 to 19 years old, at school or college, and come from a low-income household you may be able to get financial help from an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).   EMA is a weekly allowance of £30 per week, paid during term time.  

22/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland Council launches new platform to improve online engagement

The Highland Council has today (Monday 22 June) launched a new online engagement platform which will transform how residents, communities and visitors engage with consultations.   The easy-to-use platform allows anyone to quickly see what projects and proposals are open for consultation and engagement.  

22/6/2026 : Local Authority

A Tale of Two Schools - Is Thurso Next? As Moray Council Shelves £100million school plan for Buckie

When Moray Council officially shelved plans for a new Buckie High School, it sent a shockwave through communities across the north of Scotland.  The message was clear: in the current economic climate, even the most desperate promises of new school builds can vanish overnight when balanced against a massive budget deficit.  

19/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland creatives help shape UK City of Culture 2029 bid

Cultural artists and creators from across the Highlands have gathered at Strathpeffer Pavilion to share their ideas and ambitions for the Inverness-Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029.   The bid, which is being taken forward under the name Beò 2029 the Gaelic word for living brought together around 80 creative practitioners from across the region for a cultural conversation exploring what culture means in the Highlands, what stories the region wants to tell, and the legacy for the future.  

18/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Great Glen Way route improvements now open

A new improved section of the Great Glen Way is now open, offering walkers, wheelers and visitors a safer and more scenic way to experience this popular trail.   The Highland Council has completed work on over 3km of the route, moving it away from the public road and onto a new off‑road path.  

14/6/2026 : Local Authority

How Caithness Can Strengthen Its Case for Major Capital Investment in an Era of Shrinking Budgets

Caithness has reached a moment where the old assumptions about public investment no longer hold.  For decades, the region could rely on a three‑pillar system: HIE to drive economic development, Scottish Enterprise and national programmes to support growth, and Highland Council to deliver the infrastructure that underpins daily life.  

14/6/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

When the Money Moves South: How HIE’s Shrinking Budget Has Hit Caithness and Why “Record Funding” Doesn’t Mean What It Used To

For decades, Highlands and Islands Enterprise was the economic backbone of the far north.  It wasn’t perfect, but it was one of the few institutions that understood the basic truth of life in Caithness: distance costs money, and if the state doesn’t step in, the market won’t.