Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport helps develop the skills of tomorrow’s workforce in partnership with Powering Futures

The partnership with Powering Futures will support the organisation’s work with secondary schools to prepare pupils for their future careers, ensuring businesses are in prime position to respond to the significant economic opportunities green freeport will deliver. 

 The collaboration with Powering Futures is seen as a key step in equipping young people with meta-skills that are vital to the future growth ambitions of the region’s businesses. ICFGF wants to ensure that every young person in the area will be able to access the course, developing capabilities around problem solving, adaptability and collaboration alongside technical and theoretical knowledge.  

 Powering Futures is an SCQF level 6 programme that has been working with schools across Scotland for the past five years. ICFGF hopes its endorsement of the programme will put Powering Futures on the radar of even more businesses, garnering increased support from those that are pioneering the area’s green energy revolution. 

 ICFGF represents a transformative opportunity for the Highlands to become an internationally recognised hub for the offshore wind and renewables industries. The initiative is poised to attract over £3bn of inward investment and deliver more than 10,000 long-term, well-paid jobs. 

 Alli Vass, Manager of The Powerhouse – the skills development arm of ICFGF – said that a future-ready workforce was critical to delivering the ambition.  

 She added: “Academic skills and practical skills are important as young people prepare to take the first steps on their career journey, but the role of meta-skills cannot be underplayed. The ability to learn new skills, solve problems and adapt to new situations are critical, especially in our rapidly changing world and our drive towards net zero. 

“Our hope is that we can encourage more organisations in the north of Scotland to get involved with Powering Futures, ensuring that every secondary school pupil will be able to participate in the programme.  

 “The course will stand them in excellent stead for their future careers and to develop the type of skills that employers in this area will need as the green freeport takes shape, whether they are finding employment through entry-level positions, apprenticeships or as university graduates.” 

 One of the major benefits of Powering Futures is to link employers with future talent, providing a bridge between schools and the workplace. The course is delivered over a period of 80 hours during which students learn how to develop critical thinking skills to solve real world problems.  The groups then present their approach to a panel of judges made up of industry representatives.  

 Powering Futures was launched in 2020 and in that time has worked with more than 5,000 pupils and engaged with in excess of 180 businesses. Almost 90 secondary schools across Scotland are currently participating in the programme with a further 70 registered for the next academic year – almost 50% of secondary schools in the country. 

 David Reid, co-founder of Powering Futures said: “Powering Futures operates in over half of Scotland’s schools, preparing the workforce of the future for the jobs of the future. 

 “Businesses all over the country are telling us that they are concerned that the pupils in schools today are not being properly equipped for the jobs they will have to do tomorrow - in other words, we are producing square pegs without realising that we have round holes. 

 “Our job is to make sure that the future workforce here is ready, willing and able to make the most of ICFGF’s economic opportunities for themselves, their families and the Highlands.” 

 Pupils from across the Highlands and Moray have been participating in Powering Futures since the start of the year and recently took part in final presentations.  

 One of the schools to participate was Inverness Royal Academy, where Janis MacDonald is a teacher. Speaking after the finals, she said: “The Powering Futures programme will be very beneficial to pupils as it will enable them to develop meaningful skills and talk about a situation they have been in a real-life context.” 

 Jaqui Barrere, a teacher at Forres Academy, added: “It’s hard work but it’s been interesting watching how the pupils have gained confidence and built on skills that they didn’t actually know they had.”