SARAH BARNES: Moray needs more apprenticeship opportunities - could you help?
The past few months at Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Moray have been a whirlwind. We’ve hosted events like Mentoring in Moray, where employers learned how to support young people, and the Lego League final, where school pupils showcased their programming and engineering skills. We’ve also delivered hundreds of mock interviews to senior students across the region. Hats off to our incredible DYW team, who continue to create opportunities with local employers to inspire the next generation of workers.
One of our biggest highlights was the DYW Apprenticeship Jobs Fair on March 4 at UHI Moray, where 830 people came through the doors to explore apprenticeship opportunities from 30 employers and partners. Every stand had real apprenticeship vacancies, and the turnout was the best I’ve seen in my (nearly) nine years with DYW Moray. This level of interest proves that young people are eager to take a hands-on, work-based approach to their careers.
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It also reinforces an important message - young people want to stay in Moray, provided there are strong local opportunities to do so. Apprenticeships allow them to earn while they learn, gaining valuable workplace experience from day one. But we need more employers to get involved, particularly in offering Graduate Apprenticeships. These enable full-time employees, whether new or existing, to gain a degree while applying their knowledge in a real working environment.
Contextualised learning is key. When I was at school, I often wondered how certain subjects would help me in my future career. Many young people feel the same today. That’s why DYW Moray works closely with employers to bring real-world relevance to classroom learning. How does maths apply in the workplace? Why does English matter beyond essays? When young people hear from professionals using these skills daily or get to apply these skills themselves in practice, their education becomes more meaningful.
This is why Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships are so important. They offer young people a structured, practical way to develop skills that will serve them throughout their careers. And with 830 people actively seeking information on apprenticeships in Moray, the demand is undeniable.
By creating more apprenticeship opportunities, we can retain talented young people, boost our local economy, and ensure Moray thrives as a place to live and work.
The young people are eager and ready. Are we?
