Thousands of secondary school pupils are set to visit the Highland Conference Centre at the Newton Hotel in Nairn this week to take part in an enterprise roadshow developed by Careers Scotland.

Entitled 'Make it in Scotland', the event runs from Monday [1 March] to Friday [5 March] and forms part of a countrywide initiative bringing together young people and a range of national and local manufacturers.

More than 2,000 second-year pupils from around Inverness, Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey are due to take part in this week's Nairn roadshow which aims to raise awareness of the many different kinds of careers available in manufacturing before pupils make their subject choices.

More than 20 businesses and organisations will give presentations covering a variety of sectors.  They  include Claymore Dairies, Inverness Medical, AES Solar Systems; Quality Meat Scotland; Keith Kilt School; Varis Engineering; Logic Computers; AWG Construction; Inverness College; the Construction Industry Training Board; Highland Galvanisers; Forsyths Engineering; McKellar Engineering; Buckie Shipyard; Johnstons of Elgin; David Matthews Furniture; Carvic; Manufacturing Magic; Diageo; Baxters Food Group and HI-Arts.

Each pupil will take part in three activities which show the diversity of local and regional career opportunities in manufacturing.

Over the next four weeks, 13 further events are due to be held across the Highlands and Islands, attracting more than 5,000 pupils.

Each event is intended to be entertaining as well as informative, with plenty of hands-on activities and opportunities for pupils to meet representatives of local businesses and quiz them about life in the workplace.

Topics covered include research and development, design, production, prototyping, marketing and quality control. The activities will give young people a better understanding of the type of jobs and training available in manufacturing and related industries.

Ian Carse, head of services with Careers Scotland in the Highlands and Islands, said:

"Scotland has a strong history of manufacturing and it remains a vital sector of the economy which generates £36 billion every year.

"Nowadays, there is a fantastic range of careers associated with manufacturing, but we need to recognise that the popular image, among young people especially, lags behind the reality.

"By working with local schools and businesses, Careers Scotland believes that these roadshows will help to improve the image of manufacturing and open pupils' eyes to careers they might otherwise not have considered.

"Make it in Scotland gives young people hands-on experience of the workplace to help them make their subject choices and lets manufacturers raise their profile in the local area.  Last year's events were very popular and we are looking forward to taking the show on the road to a whole new audience over the coming weeks."

More information about the initiative is available online at www.makeitinscotland.co.uk