This week’s blog is by Professor Chris O’Neil, Principal and Chief Executive of UHI Inverness.  Colleges Scotland is marking the diversity and variety of the work that Scotland's 24 colleges do with our new blog series, 24 in 2024.

I like to use the analogy of a three-legged stool when explaining the unique tertiary education we offer at UHI Inverness.  We give each of the three elements – higher education, further education and apprenticeships – equal significance and weight, ensuring a balance of flexible and relevant study, work-based learning, underpinned by our world leading, innovative research.  That stable blend produces a diverse and skilled workforce with valuable industry knowledge that is crucial in supporting the economic development of the rural and semi-rural communities we serve.

In achieving that balance, we have had to understand who we are; by that I mean recognising and meeting the needs of our region, our employers, our apprentices and students.  The nature of tertiary education relies on a dynamic partnership with employers and community partners, and we are proud of the collaborations we have forged as we have adopted more work-based learning and practical assessments in our curriculum.

We engage with more than 800 employers and industry bodies, and those relationships have resulted in a significant rise in the number of Graduate Apprentices and Modern Apprentices trained at our campuses.  Our Graduate Apprentices numbers have risen from just 13 students in 2020 to well over 100 in 2024 and our own Modern Apprenticeships have increased year on year to over 700.

Partnerships with industry and sector partners have led to the development of innovative new courses to meet national skills demands.  This has included a new Modern Apprenticeship in Building Standards and the CECA Scotland Academy Civil Engineering Operations Course, to provide a new talent pipeline to replace an aging workforce in civil engineering.

Employers and businesses have supported us in so many ways, and we couldn’t deliver training to the high standard that we do without their input.  Sponsorship from industry partnerships has enabled us to update our renewables training centre to upskill existing practitioners and train apprentices in the emerging sustainable heating technologies.

The Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport promises to create thousands of jobs and attract billions of pounds in investment, offering enhanced opportunities for our graduates and apprentices.  UHI is a Freeport Partner, and we are playing a full role in building the workforce and attracting new talent by continuing to transform our curriculum offer and establishing links with organisations across the region and beyond.

Our approach to the freeport reflects our overall response to industry needs and the demands of an advancing regional economy - a focus on vital industry partnerships and curriculum innovations.