Business Gateway Recruitment Advisers

 
Business Gateway Highland has launched a service to help create new jobs in some of the region’s most remote, rural areas.

The service will target more than 300 businesses in Caithness, Sutherland, Wester Ross, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch and Strathspey to help them better understand the process of recruiting staff for the first time.

Two recruitment advisers, based in Fort William and Bonar Bridge, have been taken on to give businesses help on issues including employment legislation, identifying the right people for interview and employment contracts.

Marianne Ross, the new recruitment adviser in Bonar Bridge says: “Business Gateway’s recruitment service sets out to help businesses by providing an integrated package of information, advice and practical support.

This service is highly personal, specialist and designed to help create jobs in some of this region’s most fragile areas by helping give businesses greater confidence and knowledge about the recruitment process.”

Marianne, from Migdale, will be based in the Key Commercial Services offices in Bonar Bridge and can be contacted on 07867 394346 or marianne.ross@highland-opportunity.com

PSYBT to Merge with The Prince's Trust

The Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) is to merge with the Prince's Trust on 1st April 2012.

Here's a message from PSYBT's outgoing Chief Exceutive, Mark Strudwick CBE:

"After two decades of operating as a distinct Scottish charity, The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust is to merge with The Prince’s Trust.

Both charities value the tremendous relationships they have with individuals and many stakeholders across Scotland and we plan to harness the strengths of both organisations to provide cost effective, timely and tailored provision for Scotland’s young people.

I am delighted to say that PSYBT will not lose its unique identity. We will be renamed The Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland and will retain full control over our assets and Revolving Loan Fund.

Geoff Leask will become Director (Designate) the Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland with effect from Monday 13th February and will lead on the integration process prior to merger taking place with effect from 1st April 2012."

 
Link to Press Release.

Congratulations to Geoff on his new role and we wish the new combined operation every success in the future.

Ripples Crafts in the News

Nice article in Saturday's Herald about Helen Lockhart of Ripples Crafts, yarn dyers in Assynt: (Link to Herald Website)

Link to Ripples Crafts

Website for the Kyle of Sutherland

The Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust has launched its new website: Link. 

The site is full of useful information for tourists and residents and anyone connected with the area .  For further information and to contribute to the site, contact the Kyle of Sutherland's Community Development Officer, Lynsey Burns

goNORTH 2012

The 6th & 7th June sees the welcome return of the Highland's premier creative industries showcase.

From goNORTH:

"goNorth was launched in 2001 to provide a platform for artists from the north of Scotland to showcase for music industry and media representatives on their own patch. Originally hosted in several venues on Aberdeen’s Belmont Street, we briefly relocated to Dundee, before settling in Scotland’s most northerly city, Inverness. The event has since developed into one of the country’s leading Creative Industries Festivals, covering a much wider remit from Screen and Broadcast to Designer Fashion and Publishing. 

goNORTH 2011 proved our most ambitious and successful event to date and we are determined to top it this year by bringing together a much wider selection of leading creative industry figures. We intend to deliver a world class programme of panels, workshops, film screenings, training opportunities, Q&A sessions, camera equipment and special effects showcases and a global marathon of live music showcases."

Full details of all this year's goNORTH activities  - and how to register - can be found here.

Tourism Events in the North Highlands

North Highland Tourism have organised the following networking and information events in the North Highlands:

9th March:    "Springle", Lairg Community Hall, 10:30am - 12noon
More Info:  Link

13th March:  "Putting the Buzz Back into Your Business": MacKays Hotel Wick, 10:00am to 1.00pm
More Info: Link

14th March:  "Putting the Buzz Back into Your Business": Assynt Leisure, Lochinver, 10:00am to 1.00pm
 More Info: Link

26th March: "Getting Inside Your Customer's Head", Fortrose Leisure Centre, 10.00am to 1.00pm .
More Info: Link

28th March: "Getting Inside Your Customer's Head", Timespan, Helmsdale, 10.00am to 1.00pm More Info: Link


For background and contact details, visit the North Highlands Tourism website: Link

Public Procurement Event - 9th February, Thurso

The Highland Council’s Procurement Team will be in Thurso on Thursday 9th February; running a free event to help enterprises supply to the Council.

Businesses which already supply, or wish to supply to the Council are encouraged to come along to talk to staff, find out about upcoming contract opportunities, discuss the tendering process and any concerns they might have. Typical subjects might include:
• Advertising of Contracts
• Pre-Qualification Questionnaires
• Invitations to Tender
• Evaluation

Date:     9th February 2012
Venue:  Main Building, t3|UK Campus, Janetstown Industrial Estate, Thurso.

Businesses can book a 15 minute slot with a member of staff between 9.00am and 11.45 am - or can just drop in between those times.

To book, or for more information, contact: procurement.unit2@highland.gov.uk

On the same day, and in the same location, Caithness Chamber of Commerce are hosting a free event to help businesses learn more about contracting with the public sector. This starts at 12.30 pm – please contact Marcus Mennie on info@caithnesschamber.com or 01847 896508 for more details.

Creative Industries Newsletter - January 2012

Here's a link the latest edition of HIE's Creative Industries Newsletter - packed with useful information about opportunities and events.  This issue includes registration details for GoNorth 2012.


Creative Industries Team Newsletter (pdf 343kB)

Business Gateway National Campaign 2012

Here's a taster of Business Gateway's new Press Campaign...

 For more info, visit www.yourbusinessgateway.co.uk

Business Gateway Music - The Duplets

Here's something appropriate from the Duplets...

The Duplets: A Man's a Man...

Food & Drink Event - Wick, 2 February 2012

Caithness Chamber of Commerce are hosting a Food & Drink event at MacKay’s Hotel in Wick on the 2nd February from 10:30 to 4.00pm.

From the Chamber:

The event will be attended by food and drinks producers from Caithness and Sutherland alongside local hoteliers and restaurants. The aim of the event is to come together to discuss the food and drink sector in the area and how it may be possible for Caithness Chamber of Commerce and local agencies to assist with the sector requirements. The three facilitated workshops in the afternoon will look at local examples and an example of a co-operative organisation from outwith Caithness and Sutherland.

Outline Programme

10.30 Registration, tea & coffee

11.00 Welcome – Caithness Chamber of Commerce

11.05 Jim Royan – Moray Perspective

11.30 Business Gateway – a few words about what they are doing

11.35 HIE – a few words about what they are doing

11.40 Scotland Food and Drink – a few words about what they are doing

11.45 Jim Royan – Facilitated workshop with all delegates

12.30 Lunch

13.15 Facilitated workshop

14.00 Facilitated workshop

14.45 Break, chance to speak to Caithness Chamber and agencies

15.15 Facilitated workshop

16.00 Next Steps / Close

For further information contact info@caithnesschamber.com

Business Gateway E-Newsletter

The January edition of the Business Gateway E-zine is now available and contains loads of information about new initiatives, client case studies and useful tips and advice.

Follow this link to see the newsletter: Link

Ward Forum - 28th January 2011 - Lairg

The next Highland Council Ward Forum for North, West & Central Sutherland (Ward 1) will be held in Lairg on 28th January.  All are welcome.  The main topic will be access to affordable housing in the Ward.

Time: 11am - 2pm
Venue:  Lairg Community Centre

For more details: http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/yourward/ward01/wardforum/

Employ: Grants

 Here's a message from the Highland Council about their new employment initiative:

The Highland Council, supported through the European Social Fund, is pleased to launch the Employ Grants Scheme to encourage and support businesses in the creation of additional posts for unemployed people including people in receipt of benefits, returners to the labour market, disabled people and young people.

Targeted at Small and Medium sized enterprises who employ fewer than 250 people, a wage subsidy is available for 26 weeks, (or a maximum of 52 weeks towards recruits who are aged 16-19) to create additional and permanent posts.

Businesses in all sectors of industry located within The Highland Council area are eligible and may be private companies, co-operatives or social enterprises.

Follow these links to obtain The Operational Guidance document and the application form

but, before completing an application, please contact the Employability Team on 01463 702912 for an informal discussion.

Assynt Enterprise Club - HMRC Workshops in Lochinver

Sharon Bartram, of the Assynt Enterprise Club,has organised workshops to be presented by Janet Campbell, Business Education and Support Officer from Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC). 

These 2-hour sessions, aimed at both new and existing enterprises, will be held on the 9th February at 2pm and 5pm and will cover the basics of tax and national insurance  - with plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.

Janet's sessions are incredibly informative  - and she is excellent at explaining what is thought by many to be a complicated and, for small businesses, a worrying subject.

The venue in Lochinver will be confirmed later but, for more information, contact Sharon at the Assynt Learning Centre 01571 844123 or email: assyntlearningcentre@gmail.com