‘You don’t have to move away from the Cairngorms to have a great career ’ is the message that will be shouted loud and clear at the inaugural ‘Your Future Here’ careers fair on 12 September in Aviemore.

Organised by the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Countryside Learning Scotland,  this won’t be your traditional careers event with just rows of corporate stands, there will be a particular focus on practical workshops and demonstrations, breakout spaces for one-to-one chats, as well as live job and training opportunities. It is expected to attract over 300 young people who are considering their future career options. Companies already committed include: Hydrasun, Gordon and Macphail – The Cairn Distillery, Quarch Technology, SSE, NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland, NHS Highland and Macdonald Aviemore Resort – with more being added all the time.

There will also be a chance to hear from young people just a few years into their career journey in the Cairngorms. People like Lexie Murray of The Cairn Distillery who said,  “Leaving school and going straight into the whisky industry isn’t a very common path for most people but it’s been a great adventure so far.  I don’t think it’s necessarily the case that you need to leave home in order to get a job: if you’ve got your mind set on something there’s a good chance it can be done in the National Park.”

Wallace Currie, well-known podcaster and founder of Rural2Kitchen, will be the hosting the event.  A farmer, agricultural lecturer and BBC contributor, Wallace is dedicated to educating people about food and farming, he told us, “I believe the future of our rural communities is bright and we need young people to see the vast array of amazing careers there are here. There are many opportunities in the agricultural industry, but equally if that’s not for you there are other thriving rurally based businesses who are looking for young people to employ and train.  I’m looking forward to being able to show the young people at this event what could be possible for them and introduce them to careers they may never even knew existed”.

Ian Robertson, Chief Executive of Countryside Learning Scotland, agrees: “There are so many pre-conceived ideas about working in rural areas and this event is all about challenging some of the stereotypes,’ explains Ian, ‘Rural careers have changed so much in recent years, with technology seeing many roles evolve and many new roles created. We wanted to celebrate the diversity of opportunities available – from farming to drone flying, hospitality to healthcare – giving young people a chance to hear from people who’ve taken the leap, and to have a go themselves.”

Gavin Miles, Director of Planning and Place at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “We know that providing skills and training opportunities, as well as high quality, long-term jobs, is the best way to encourage young people to stay and thrive in the National Park.

“The ‘Your Future Here’ careers fair has been tailored to the needs of young people in the Cairngorms National Park with input from those who have built on their own careers here, whether that be in an apprenticeship, graduate role or even starting their own businesses. I am really looking forward to seeing more young people embarking on rewarding careers here in the Cairngorms and supporting our diverse economy.”

The careers fair is free to attend and is aimed at those who are leaving education or who are already in the early stages of their working lives and are looking to take the next step and explore new roles and opportunities. Tickets can be booked here.