The 2007-2013 ERDF and ESF Convergence Programmes for the Highlands And Islands will be delivered through a combination of Challenge Funding and Commissioning. The Challenge Funding will be administered by the Highlands And Islands Structural Funds Partnership Ltd as the newly appointed Intermediate Administrative Body (IAB) for the ERDF and ESF programmes in the region. The North Highland College with relevant partners has the opportunity to make application for these funds at further education level to HISTP and has been successful with three new projects starting in March 2008.
The UHI has also been identified as a strategic delivery body for both ESF and ERDF programmes, and through them we have the opportunity to make application for funding for Higher Education activity.
This funding allows us to develop new curriculum provision (ESF) and recently refurbish new premises (ERDF).
There will be a further opportunity to submit applications for funding in September 2008, and further details will follow on this when they become available.
ESOL
This project aims to continue the ESOL training which ran very successfully under the HISTP, HI/ESF/06/3.2/008, where we trained migrant workers from Poland, Russia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, France, Germany, Thailand, China, Korea, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Iran. Out of these 252 students, 225 achieved positive outcomes.
A major barrier faced by migrant workers is the issue of poor English language skills. People with poor language skills are prevalent across most of the low paid industrial sectors, and ESOL training can improve their job prospects.
For migrant workers to play a full part in the economic and social development of the Highlands And Islands area, the teaching of English language combined with the promotion of social justice and cultural understanding is of significant importance. The North Highland College will continue to deliver high quality English language tuition via certificated classes on a 'needs led' basis. Any shifts in the demographic of the Highland migrant workers can therefore be quickly identified and acted upon. In addition to training in the main college campuses, the programme will be delivered in Inverness, Aviemore, Grantown-on-Spey, Dingwall, Aviemore, Argyll, and Skye - the latter working in partnership with Argyll College and Skye And Lochalsh Learning Centre Network. We also aim to take ESOL to more rural areas across the Highlands And Islands where small groups of learners may be disadvantaged by by georgraphy, poor transport links, and subsequently suffer from isolation and loneliness.
In addition to everyday English language tuition there is a growing need for ESP (English for a Specific Purpose) courses, particularly from employers in areas such as Health and Safety, Hospitality, Care, and First Aid. The North Highland College has subject specific tutors in a wide variety of disciplines who with the help of an ESOL tutor will be able to provide this in the employer's workplace or on site at our nearest college centre. Our ESOL tutors are all qualified to CELTA level or equivalent and are in the process of achieving their SQA PDA in ESOL Literacies. The courses offered by the North Highland College are SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) courses leading to nationally recognised qualifications.
The need for ESOL provision is well documented by the Scottish Government, HIE, Highland Council, and WEA. The North Highland College is a member of the ESOL Providers group in Inverness set up with WEA, ABE, Inverness College, Moray College, Citizens Advice Scotland, Lairg Learning Centre, EAL Teachers, and Highland Adult Literacies. We are also represented on the HALP committee. The College works closely with WEA providing all levels of ESOL provision and we have been asked to provide higher level ESOL classes for the Inverness Hoteliers Association who are part of their English At Work project.
We expect that we will train a total of 250 participants across the Highlands during the 2008-09 period. Precisely, we anticipate training to total a minimum of 10,000 hrs with 240 achieving a part level 2 qualification. Additionally we hope to assist over twenty five companies across the Highlands And Islands.
Reskilling for Oil, Gas, and Renewables
This project will allow the us to develop an introductory technology training trogramme suitable for the oil, gas, and decommissioning industries. This opportunity arises against the background of the major economic and social changes facing the Caithness and North Sutherland economy with the decommissioning of the Dounreay nuclear site. Currently 20% of jobs in the area are located at the Dounreay site with one in three dependent on the decommissioning process. This run down will create a significant pool of skilled labour with expertise and experience relevant to the offshore technology industry. These skills are also highly transferable to aspects of marine science, aquaculture, offshore wind and tidal power generation, and decommissioning. The development of the Atlantic Frontier and the expected development of the Pentland Firth as a major tidal energy supplier are chief examples.
The project directly addresses the socio-economic strategy for Caithness and North Sutherland by assisting its priorities for economic growth - exploiting the skills and assets of the Dounreay site and helping to deliver a sustainable future.
Technical skill sets in the nuclear industry are of a very high calibre, particularly health and safety awareness, and the safety culture which is inherent in this workforce. These skills are highly desirable for recruitment into the oil, gas, and renewable energy sectors. The project aims to supplement the existing skills of the workforce by providing an introduction to the necessary technical competency skills required for employment in these industries. The programme will include overall safety and environmental awareness, offshore operations, installations and vessels, geophysical survey equipment, remotely operated vehicles, lifting equipment, personnel, and training. In addition, an immediate demand for suitably qualified or experienced personnel in the offshore survey and Remotely Operated Vehicles area is presently required (as quoted by International Marine Contractors Association). This course will also allow us to address this demand.
This project will initially be aimed towards the oil, gas, and renewable energy sectors, the latter which was identified at the recent Caithness Conference as a key economic driver for the area. Equally, candidates from across the Highlands And Islands looking to embark upon a career in these industries would find the training relevant. Expectations are that the programme will grow to attract attendees from these industries as a whole, and operational companies in particular.
The project syllabus is based on established industry competency schemes, of which the IMCA scheme is the best respected and has been adopted almost universally. Most main players in the industry are contributing members of IMCA, and the scheme is accepted as relevant for these companies. By basing the course on the IMCA syllabus, it is believed that it will be accepted more readily by employers. The programme is structured in a modular manner, allowing the college to customise it to the needs of specific client groups. This modular approach will allow the course to be dovetailed into the college's overall course structure and potentially offered as an option to students studying all disciplines.
The college will train a minimum of one hundred people within the first year of the 'introductory course' and additional short courses. In addition one new member of staff will be employed on a full time basis for the duration of the programme and two part time members of staff will have their jobs safeguarded by it.
Community Empowerment in Tourism, Heritage, and Leisure-based Activities
The aim of this three year project is to help local people to take ownership and to work together to create lively, confident, and sustainable communities as well as encouraging them to take responsibility for the management and improvement of their own community assets. In the past two years, The North Highland College has developed a number of standalone training courses in the areas of tourism, marketing, leisure, and heritage. These have included concepts such as the Hospitality Passport, the Tourism Passport, and heritage summer schools. Whilst these developments have been successful, they have largely relied on interested members of the community coming to a local college or learning centre to participate in the training. Although this is positive in terms of learning, it is not 'best practice' in terms of community engagement or community empowerment. In addition, local businesses within the community have not been as involved in their delivery and development as might have been hoped.
The proposal for this project in the period covering 2008 - 2011 is to empower local communities by delivering these FE based short courses in an innovative and original way.
The project will take existing material, change some of its generic nature to make it more focussed (as requested by local communities), and through a coordinated 'local delivery roadshow' take the courses from the college setting and deliver it within community facilities. The concept is to engage with small groups of interested local individuals and community groups to deliver the location centred training they want at the time and location most suitable to them. As we will develop and deliver this over three years, to ensure we have reached the target audience we will hold a conference for all participants at the end of this period to share good practice and to encourage community networking across the Highlands And Islands.
These short courses will all revolve around empowering the community to make better use of resources which they may take for granted and will include marketing existing resources better, using e-business skills, customer care, recognising visitor requirements, archaeological interpretation, environmental interpretation, making the most of their history and heritage, and speaking tours explaining highland literature.
A trained individual (and a part time assistant) will be employed to undertake coordination of this work and to develop two programmes – one in the summer and one in the winter. These will be delivered across the region over the forthcoming three years, working with key commercial and business players (and key national and regional groups such as Visit Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Sports Scotland, Forestry Commission, Golf Highland, etc) as well as with individuals and community groups. This individual will also have a coordinating role working with subject experts in order to best marry the community requirements with existsing material and resources.