Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider SAT 26TH JUL 2025    12:54:07 PM BST
This site uses cookies, by continuing to use this site you accept the terms of our privacy policy
Back To Top
Caithness.Org Quick Links
Home
Construction
Leisure
Manufacturing
Misc.
Primary
Professional
Public
Retail
Tourism
Transport
Site Map
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Feed 2.0 Loading...

Job opportunities on offer to Gaelic speaking students

19th February 2014

Up to 25 job opportunities will be available to young Gaels over the summer months as a result of a longstanding partnership between Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Comunn na Gàidhlig (CnaG).

The job opportunities will be available through the Students Summer Placement Scheme, which offers Gaelic-speaking students placements with businesses and organisations where Gaelic is the language of the workplace.

The 2014 scheme is being launched today (Tuesday 18th February) and is open to students, businesses and organisations

The scheme has been operating very successfully for the past 14 years with hundreds of students, businesses and organisations benefitting from it. The majority of the funding is provided by HIE, and there has also been important financial support from The Highland Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Bòrd na Gàidhlig. This year's scheme will give up to 25 Gaelic-speaking students the opportunity to work for 10 weeks with businesses and organisations engaged in Gaelic and community development activity.

As well as providing the students with employment, the scheme also gives them invaluable hands-on experience in the workplace, an opportunity to improve their Gaelic fluency, an insight into the roles of the different organisations, and all this, based in their own communities. The placements will be available in businesses and organisations across the Highlands and islands.

The students will earn a minimum wage of £225 per week and, for the first time, the students will have an opportunity this year, to attend a couple of personal development courses. The courses are organised and funded by HIE.

As well as the obvious benefits to the students, the scheme can also be of great benefit to employers who are able to take advantage of the students' skills over the summer months to the benefit of their organisation. The scheme also enables employers to assess students with a view to future recruitment.

Agnes Rennie, Manager of the Gaelic books publisher Acair, which has been participating in the students placement scheme for many years said, "The students' placement scheme is a great opportunity to let a young person work as part of the Acair "team". We try to ensure that students get a chance to experience all aspects of publishing as well as a real project that relates to the student's own skill set. The scheme also enables us as potential employers to look at the level of skills in the upcoming labour market."

Mairead Macleod, a 3rd year student at Colaisde a' Chaisteil, who was on placement with Acair last year, said, "I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Acair last year. I found it hugely challenging but also hugely beneficial. I was given a wide range of challenging tasks and also given a fair degree of responsibility. I felt I gained a great deal of confidence through working as part of "the team". Participation in the scheme introduced me to a Gaelic working environment where I developed my language skills, particularly expanding my knowledge of business vocabulary. The scheme has highlighted to me the wide range of job opportunities which could be available – and all on my doorstep!"

Donald MacNèill, Chief Executive of CnaG, said, "This is an important scheme both for the future of the language and also for preparing students for work, following their graduation. The scheme not only provides students with the opportunity to improve their Gaelic fluency, by working in an environment where Gaelic is the language of the workplace, but also gives them a working knowledge of the employment opportunities available across Scotland, to young people with excellent Gaelic skills."

Neil Ross, Head of Community Growth at HIE said, "At HIE we are keen to support the growth of workplace opportunities which will attract and keep talent in our region. This programme benefits both businesses and students, introducing fresh perspective to innovative Gaelic businesses, and much-needed work experience and employment opportunities to the students."

Hamish Fraser Chair of the Highland Council's Gaelic Implementation Group said, "We are delighted to be supporting the Work Placement Scheme as the participants will have the opportunity to use and develop their language skills in a Gaelic environment. They also gain experience working as part of Gaelic related teams in either the public or private sectors." He added, "This will be a positive attribute which can be in included in their CVs and which could lead to future opportunities with the organisations who have hosted the students."

Students who would like to take part in this year's scheme should send an application form to, Comunn na Gàidhlig, 5 Mitchells Lane, Inverness. IV2 3HQ by 14 March 20142. For further information, and to download an application form, please go to http://www.cnag.org.uk

Businesses and organisations which work through the medium of Gaelic and wish to participate in the scheme should send an application form to, Comunn na Gàidhlig, 5 Mitchells Lane, Inverness. IV2 3HQ by 14 March 20142. For further information, and to download an application form, please go to http://www.cnag.org.uk

The 2014 Student Summer Placement Scheme is funded by Highlands & Islands Enterprise, The Highland Council and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and administered by Comunn na Gàidhlig.

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

21/7/2025
Results Helpline to support pupils in the Highlands with SQA results
Young people in the Highlands can call a dedicated helpline offering expert advice to anyone receiving their full Higher, National, and Advanced results on Tuesday, 5 August 2025.   The pupils and students- along with their parents and carers - will be able to get support with their results through Skills Development Scotland's (SDS) Results Helpline, which opens from 8am on results day.  
Renewable energy firm ENERCON welcomed to Wick Business Park
Wick Business Park has welcomed wind energy technology company ENERCON as the first occupant of one of four new units completed last year.   ENERCON specialises in designing, producing, installing and servicing onshore wind turbines and has been operating in the Caithness area since 2013.  
3/7/2025
Bringing more empty homes back into use
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use.   The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.  
2/7/2025
Community-Led Local Development Fund distributes over £900k to support projects in Highland
The Highland Strategic Local Action Group (LAG) met in June 2025 and considered and agreed funding for 28 projects submitted to the Community-Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) programme.   CRF is an umbrella term used to cover multiple external funding programmes administered by The Highland Council.  
2/7/2025
Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schoolsThumbnail for article : Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schools
Highland Council has provided 12 ‘Talking Tub' resources for use in primary schools across the Highlands, in partnership with Union Technical who deliver community benefits as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme programme.   Chair of Highland Council's Education Committee, Councillor John Finlayson, said: "This is a fantastic initiative being rolled out across Highland primary schools which brings innovation and inspiration to early years children.  
1/7/2025
Additional bins will help keep popular visitor spots tidy
Visitors will find it easier to dispose of their litter at several popular spots across Highland after the rollout of additional bins.  The rollout has been planned to support the tourism season as part of the Council's ongoing commitment to improve and support sustainable tourism in the area.  
27/6/2025
Accounts Commission commends Highland Council's culture of transformation
Members of the meeting of The Highland Council (26 June 2025) have considered and agreed the Accounts Commission's Best Value report, which was published in April 2025 and highlights organisational improvements across leadership, performance management and community engagement.   In April’s report, the Accounts Commission recognised and welcomed significant progress within the organisation since the 2020 Best Value Assurance Report (BVAR) and commended the embedded culture of transformation.  
27/6/2025
Thurso masterplan and community POD progress update
A new generation of community facilities is being planned for the Highlands.   At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June), elected members approved the work to date in progressing the Highland Investment Plan workstreams - masterplan for Thurso and agreed to nominate the current Thurso High School site as the preferred location for the new Thurso Community Point of Delivery (POD).  
27/6/2025
Highland Housing Challenge partnership makes positive strides
At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June 2025), Members received a progress report on the partnership approach and important successes since declaring a Highland Housing Challenge in November 2023.   Since establishing the ambitious Highland Housing Challenge, important successes included: A call for sites delivered 250 sites, with a potential 25,000 housing units which will support delivery against the target of an additional 12,000 houses over the next 10 years.  
25/6/2025
Highland Council to deliver housing energy efficiency upgrades with ECO funding
The Highland Council will deliver a transformative programme of energy efficiency upgrades across Council housing supported by a £9.2 million Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding proposal secured by Union Technical.   The funding proposal will deliver approximately 1,000 individual energy efficiency measures to Council owned properties across the Highlands.