Schmidt wins major order for spreaders and ploughs to tackle Scottish winters Scotland TranServ, winners of the £27m a year highways maintenance contract for North-West Scotland, has chosen Schmidt to supply salt spreaders, snowploughs, snow blowers and road verge grass cutting equipment in one of the largest single orders for British highways products. Whatever the weather, Scotland TranServ will be endeavouring to keep traffic moving throughout the North West Unit from Wick and John O'Groats through Skye, Fort William, Oban, Argyll, Perth and Loch Lomond.
Employers in Caithness and Sutherland are to be given an opportunity to raise their awareness of employing and working with overseas nationals or those from culturally diverse backgrounds. The 'Cultural Awareness in the Workplace' workshop has been developed by 'Improve', the skills council for the food and drink sector, and will provide practical advice and guidance on topics ranging from legislation to a wider understanding of the growing number of religions and cultures and is relevant to all sectors of the business community.
Suppliers with experience in providing a range of advice services are being invited to tender for work with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The HIE network currently has contracts in place with four suppliers - Development Partners Ltd; ROC Plus Ltd; Alasdair Bruce Associates Ltd, and Business Partners (Scotland) Ltd - to provide advice to local enterprise company clients across the Highlands and Islands.
The following are funds approved up to the last day of the month. Please note that the sums relate to approvals, not payments.
Do you want to save your business money by going green? Are you finding it hard to keep up with the environmental legislation that affects your business? Do you want your business to be more environmentally friendly but have no idea where to start? Yes? Register for e-alerts on the NetRegs website and get news direct to your inbox on the latest changes to environmental legislation as well as innovative examples of good practice. News on forthcoming environmental legislation, like the new Water Environment Regime in Scotland, which comes into force on 1 April 2006, and the new Oil Storage Regulations are among the issues that will be covered by the e-alerts.
Following the success of their last themed evening, the Pentland Hotel are having a "Burger Night" at the "Princes Street Diner". With a selection of homemade American-style burgers, appetisers and desserts on offer.
Wick Harbour Authority is the new body that controls Wick Harbour. The former Wick Harbour Trust was consigned to history last July and more modern set up came into being with a board of directors rather than trustees.
The Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network is embarking on a programme of organisational change aimed at improving its service to customers and enhancing the agency's efficiency and effectiveness. The changes have been expected since HIE launched its new strategy for the area, A Smart, Successful Highlands and Islands, in June last year.
Retailers in Caithness and Sutherland are once again set to benefit from an innovative training programme aimed at helping them to make the most of their businesses and consider future development plans. Following on from the success of the pilot, Strategic Thinking for Retail Businesses, programme course tutor Iain Fraser will deliver the comprehensive eight-day programme, divided into four two-day sessions, which covers everything from marketing to systems, personnel to stock control, market know-how to beating the competition.
Following on from the success of the December road shows, where Business Relationship Managers visited every location in the Highlands to speak directly to our tourism businesses, the format has now been extended. On one particular day of each month, barring July and August, a Business Relationship Manager (BRM) will spend an hour at each Tourist Information Centre or other location, specifically to meet anyone in the tourism industry and to offer help and guidance.
People living in Caithness are being offered expert advice and information on taking the next step in their careers. The Caithness Careers Convention will be held on Wednesday 8th March 2006 in The Assembly Rooms Wick and will offer people of all age's comprehensive information on careers, employment, training and education.
A high percentage of the population is disabled in one way or another. It may be wheelchair access or just people with difficulty in walking such as the elderly or someone recovering from accident or illness.
TUC's Clock-Watching Campaign Fails to Tackle Root Cause of UK Long Hours Encouraging employees to 'work their proper hours' tomorrow will only put a band aid over the UK's long hours problem, warns experts in workplace issues including employment and health & safety, Croner. Working long hours is a classic sign of stress, and reducing stress will be key to improving the nation's work/life balance.
A new brand to represent the renewable energy sector of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland was launched on Tuesday 21st Feb 2006 at an event organised by theHighland Renewable Energy Group (HiREG) in Inverness. The HI-energy brand identity has been designed for all those involved with the renewable energy sector to use in order to raise and reinforce awareness of the region and its aspiration to be a leading centre of excellence.
George Ross started out with Ross Taxis over two years ago. Being local and having a wide range of knowledge of Caithness and Sutherland more and more people started asking him to take them on tours and show them the local sites.
Local photographer John Baikie has just returned from an intensive International photography training programme held on the beautiful sub-tropical island of Madeira. The course was aimed to improve technical skills, artistic awareness and creativity in photography.
Up to 2.3 million employees potentially affected by introduction of new legislation SMEs are being warned that under new Noise at Work Regulations the noise levels that employees can be exposed to will be reduced by almost half. This legislation is due to come into effect April 2006 with a two year transitional period for the music and entertainment industry until April 2008.
S I D Building Services have established themselves as a building firm able to deliver a range of building work. Two of their services in particular are gaining more attention due to the severe weather experienced in the Highlands.
During the recent refurbishment of the Bayview Nursing Home in Thurso,approximately 5 staff were temporarily housed in serviced office accommodation at the Naver Business Centre. Now that work has been completed, they are heading home.