Two actors have used their theatrical skills to give Orkney youngsters a unique insight into the dos and don'ts of getting a job.

Chris Cowan and Eleanor Vale, from the Birmingham-based Loud Mouth Educational Theatre Company, held a workshop session for around 20 teenagers where they played the parts of two young people with very different attitudes to finding work.

Chris' character - a likeable but lazy 17-year-old called Mike - would rather stay in bed than do anything serious about securing a job.  Eleanor adopted the personality of Nicky, an 18-year-old keenly aware of the importance of having work, but with less easy going charm than her boyfriend.

Through a series of monologues and sketches, the actors engaged directly with their audience, giving the Orkney teenagers the chance to help improve Mike and Nicky's chances of winning and holding down jobs.

The Orkney Enterprise initiative was designed to give local youngsters on the 'Get Ready for Work' programme an enjoyable and thought provoking experience.

Doreen Rendall, a development manager with Orkney Enterprise said: "Get Ready for Work is all about helping young people make informed choices about their future.  We wanted to take them out of the normal training environment and give them a unique experience of what's needed when it comes to applying for and holding down a job.

"Judging from the responses we got from the young people involved, it seems to have been very successful."

The two actors have carried out detailed research, talking to teenagers across the UK about their concerns, experiences and ideas, to make the theatrical sessions as realistic as possible.

"What we're looking for is interaction with the young people we're working with," said Eleanor Vale.

"Our audience gets to stop the action. So when Mike goes for an interview, they can tell him how to smarten up his act, giving him a better chance of actually getting a job."

This problem solving approach went down well with Clare Burton, a 17-year-old from Kirkwall, who would like to work as a journalist.  Speaking after the workshop at the Pickquoy Centre, she said: "I can imagine being quite nervous if I went for a job interview.  Working with the two actors gave us some really good ideas about how to approach an interview - all the right and all the wrong things to do."

Trevor Johnston, a 16-year-old from Sandwick who would like a job as a labourer, added: "I really enjoyed taking part.  It was fun watching Mike go for an interview and being able to tell him to stop slouching and look a bit more enthusiastic.

"I'll definitely be different the next time I go for an interview myself.  I'll be a lot more upbeat and positive after seeing how he got it all wrong."