A Bright Future Ahead for Apprentices in Arnish

07 November 2023 at 11:42:30

This year Harland and Wolff has taken on 11 new apprentices from the Western Isles in trades such as electrical, welding and plating.

The company, based in Arnish, secured £36,000 in Employer Recruitment Incentive funding from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar through engagement with the Western Isles Employability team, which helped towards employing and training the apprentices.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar remains committed in training young people across the Western Isles through the employability and apprenticeship programmes and entering growth sectors.

For the past few years, Harland and Wolff have been engaging with Western Isles Employability and Developing the Young Workforce Outer Hebrides through focused events such as careers fairs and employability open days, which has helped prepare and inform young people about the island's skills shortages and the opportunities available to them.

In 2023 the company has taken on two electricians, three fabricators and six platers in first year apprenticeships. The apprentices will spend time working on site, as well as studying in the UHI NWH Stornoway campus.

Albert Allan, General Manager at Arnish, said: "H&W Group strategy is to develop the workforce of the future by offering apprenticeships in the regions we operate from. The funding has helped greatly in taking on apprentices again this year. We are very impressed with the how the apprentices have settled into programme which consist of a Modern-Day Apprenticeship involving both College and Site activities."

"Employing young people is critical to the economic future of the islands. Our young apprentices get the opportunity to work in other yards and get different experiences in different sectors, acquiring a wide range of skills. This is a significant opportunity for the island, and it is great to work in partnership with the college/UHI in delivering the training. Having these apprentices learn their trade here is vital. They are an asset to the island, and they will contribute to the local economy. Providing apprenticeships that combines good salary and provides high valued skills, we hope will encourage youngsters to remain on the Island."

Cllr Paul Finnegan, Chair: Education, Sport and Children's Services Committee, said: "To encourage our young people to live, work and learn in the Western Isles we need to create attractive opportunities that convince them of the benefits of remaining in the area. Working alongside Western Isles Employability, Harland and Wolff have done exactly this. They have shown a real commitment to grow their own workforce and have engaged in school careers event, work experience and employability."

"Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is committed to working alongside employers, to increase the employability of individuals in the Western Isles and meet the workforce demands of key local sectors. The training that the ERI funded apprentices receive from Harland and Wolff and UHI NW and Hebrides, will support those young people who may not have had the opportunity before and produce individuals who are highly skilled and ready to contribute to the current work at Arnish Yard and future local projects."