Schools, colleges, universities and employers are joining forces for a new initiative that it is hoped will encourage more young people to stay in the west Highlands.
Lochaber Chamber of Commerce has secured Scottish Government funding of £480,000 for the three-year project for Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross.
The money will be used to set up a West Highland Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Group to connect young people with business through a partnership between education and local companies.
The group will ensure the young people are being provided with the skill sets most appropriate to their future employment.
It is being funded by the government as a key component of its Youth Employment Strategy, which aims to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in youth unemployment over the next five years.
The chamber’s chairman Bruno Berardelli described it as “a major, forward-looking programme designed to make a real impact on youth employment in the area”.
He added that DYW groups had already been set up in other areas, particularly in central Scotland.
Mr Berardelli said: “We have particular needs in this area and it is very heartening that many companies, from large employers to quite small concerns have already pledged their support to its aims and activities to better prepare our own young people for employment.
“It is vitally important for the future of our communities to ensure that young people have a reason to stay here and matching skills with local jobs is certainly one way to tackle this”.
The group will consist of volunteer members drawn from industry of all sectors and sizes from throughout the area and representatives of the education system, West Highland College UHI, Highland Council and public sector agencies, such as Skills Development Scotland and the NHS.
West Highland College UHI principal and chief executive Lydia Rohmer said: “This announcement heralds a step change in the way schools, colleges, universities and employers will work together to create strong career pathways for our young people – from school to college and right through to employment.”