Acquiring appropriate skills by businesses wishing to win contracts at Dounreay has been put on the top of the agenda by the appointment of Carol Gunn to the Dounreay Task Force.  Carol took up her appointment as manager of Strategic Initiatives with the Task Force yesterday following seven years as Investors in People (IIP) manager with Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE).

The Dounreay Task Force was set up by CASE and Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE), with funding from the EU through the Highlands & Islands Special Transitional Programme, to maximise the opportunities arising from the decommissioning of the nuclear plant and is headed up by former CASE chief executive, Neil Money.  Among the various tasks to be undertaken by the team will be to make Highland businesses aware of the various demands for products and services that decommissioning work will generate.

In her new role, Carol is tasked with enhancing the area's existing training infrastructure to ensure individuals and businesses have access to the appropriate training and qualifications required concerning all aspects of the decommissioning of Dounreay.

The decommissioning of the nuclear plant is the first major project of its kind in the UK and Dounreay will inevitably set the standard for future decommissioning projects in the UK and abroad.  The decommissioning process is expected to take at least 50 years and a range of training needs is being identified.

Carol explained: "In the first instance, there will be a great deal of construction work carried out.  This will require skilled tradesmen, for example, builders, joiners and electricians.  We want the training these people require to be available locally and we will be working with existing training providers and businesses, who wish to offer training, to ensure the facilities are in place.

"The construction process presents local businesses and individuals with tremendous opportunities and with a higher than average unemployment rate in certain areas of Caithness and Sutherland, we would hope to see this number reduced significantly as a direct result of decommissioning.

"More specialist skills in engineering related fields will be required also and the HIE Network is working with its partners to ensure that the relevant training is available in the Highlands."

According to Carol, the far north can expect to have an enviable workforce as a result of the decommissioning process.

"We are talking about a workforce that can travel anywhere in the world to work on similar projects or train others in their specialist field," she said.

Commenting on her new post, Carol - who lives in Ackergill - said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my job as IIP manager with CASE and it has allowed me to build very strong relationships with local businesses.  These are relationships that are going to prove very important in my role with the Task Force.

"This is a very important job and one which we have to get right first time because all eyes are going to be on us."

As well as working with training providers and the business community, Carol will be liasing closely with the North Highland College and the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute on the delivery of appropriate qualifications. This will be an important factor in establishing the reputation of the North Highlands as a Centre of Excellence in decommissioning and related industrial skills.

Chief executive at CASE, Carroll Buxton said: "We wish Carol every success in her new job with the Task Force.  She has been an invaluable member of the CASE team since she began working here in 1995 both as a training development manager, then as our IIP manager.

"The decommissioning of Dounreay not only presents the Caithness and Sutherland area with tremendous opportunities but the project is set to bring benefits to the whole of the Highlands and Islands."