The people of the Highlands and Islands must, throughout their lives, be able to acquire new skills, knowledge and capabilities in order to realise their full potential.

That's the message given today (Monday, 19 June) by the board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) when they announced the publication of a new skills strategy on a visit to Unst in Shetland.

The announcement coincided with a visit of HIE board members to the most northerly point of the HIE area which was arranged to help them gain a deeper understanding of the needs of the people of the area and the work of Shetland Enterprise, the local enterprise company.

The document, which includes a message from Henry McLeish - the minister for enterprise and lifelong learning, outlines the way forward for developing skills across key sectors of the Highlands and Islands economy. These range from new areas such as the knowledge information and telecommunications sector, to the food and drink and tourism sectors. Key skills development priorities for community groups are also set out.

Across all sections, employability, information and communication technology (ICT) skills, and skills in management and leadership are the three core strands which have been identified as crucial for increasing the competitiveness of the HIE area.

Chairman of HIE Jim Hunter said: "The development of skills is a cornerstone of our work. Without it, we could not deliver the resourceful, adaptable workforce that has been so instrumental in securing substantial commitments from both indigenous firms and new businesses establishing themselves in the Highlands and Islands. Likewise, a skilled workforce builds empowered communities which are essential for the future of the area.

"Unst is a particularly appropriate location to launch the strategy as it is in one of the most rural parts of the HIE area. Following the run down of RAF Saxa Vord on the island, it is essential that local people exploit all opportunities to learn new skills. New technology is one of the factors which will help such communities overcome the barriers presented by our geography and the strategic plan for skills development has taken account of factors such as ICT based flexible learning and the accessibility of learning through local centres."

The HIE network will act as an essential catalyst in this process and will work with key businesses in the area to identify and develop new skills which allow for the exploitation of new ideas and techniques.

The process of developing the strategic plan took several months, and involved extensive consultation with a range of partners including local authorities, private businesses, learning suppliers, national training organisations, voluntary and community groups. In line with the government commitment for public sector organisations to conduct more of their business electronically, the draft strategy was also publicly available on the HIE website for these groups and the wider public to access and comment on.

The final document will be available on the HIE website - in the Developing Skills section - but copies can also be obtained from Audrey Whyte on 01463 234171.