Your Future Here careers fair welcomes hundreds of National Park’s young people

The Park Authority and Countryside Learning Scotland played host to hundreds of young people who attended the Your Future Here event in Aviemore on Thursday, 12 September.  Billed as a careers fair ‘with a difference’, the event invited young people who have recently left education and are unsure of what direction to go in or are in their final years at school to come and be inspired by the range of career prospects in the National Park.

Over 30 organisations and businesses showcased job and training opportunities and provided interactive workshops and activities for attendees to get hands-on and ‘have a go’. A wide range of industries were represented, including environment and conservation, digital technology, engineering, manufacturing, food and drink, hospitality, energy and renewables and forestry and land management.

Grant Moir, CEO at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “I was delighted to see hundreds of the National Park’s young people and dozens of employers making connections at the Your Future Here event. It’s important that young people know that there is a future here in the Cairngorms National Park for them. A future full of interesting careers and opportunities, and some they may never have known about before attending this event.

“This was a real showcase of the variety of careers and opportunities a young person can embark on here in the Cairngorms National Park. I’d like to thank all those who attended, the schools and the exhibitors and partners involved in making this a really successful careers fair with a difference!”

Ian Robertson, CEO at Countryside Learning Scotland, said: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to deliver this forum for local, rural related businesses and the next generation of employees to interact. The event provided young people with information on how to progress into rural careers, direct opportunities of employment, and the employers themselves were able to engage with future talent.

“This is an important step in the ‘Pathways to Rural Work’ initiative, creating an environment to help young people transition from school to work, highlighting the many routes to a positive work destination. I would particularly like to thank the businesses who took time out of their schedules to support the event, the funders, the agencies involved and not least the CLS staff.”

Cat Gordon, 26 from Boat of Garten, said: “I’ve lived in the area for a few years now, but I don’t feel like I know everything that’s going on – so an event like this is such a good opportunity to learn more about local organisations and hear about different jobs and pathways.” Cameron Gordon, S5 from Alford Academy, agreed: “I’ve been to careers fairs before and you just come away with a bag of leaflets, this has been better because there were actually things to have a go at and try out.”

One of the employers exhibiting at the event was McGowan Environmental, who work in the green jobs sector delivering projects which protect and enhance our natural environment, such as river and peatland restoration.  Sam Hesling, Environmental Contracts Manager at McGowan Environmental, spoke of why they took part: “We are in the midst of a climate and biodiversity crisis, and we wanted to show these young people some of the exciting new careers opening up in this area.  It’s been a great event, and it has been fantastic to see real enthusiasm from these young folk for the roles on offer.”

The fair was tailored to the needs of young people in the Cairngorms National Park to showcase the diverse range of jobs available right on their doorstep – the message of the day was clear; you don’t have to move away to have a great career in the Cairngorms National Park.