Two open days have been organised to promote the Link business training programme - at Poolewe Village Hall on 5 February and the Macphail Centre on 6 February. 

Businesses in Wester Ross are invited to come along and find out more about how training courses can help staff development and increase the skills base in the area. 

Staff from Careers Scotland will be at hand for people of any age who are looking for free careers information, advice and guidance. Staff from the skills team at HIE Skye and Wester Ross will also attend the information days to advise people on the range of options available to businesses and individuals, with a view to helping them identify opportunities tailored to suit their needs. Business development and communities staff will also attend.

Expert information technology trainer Fiona Grant will hold free troubleshooting clinics - a chance for local businesses and individuals to book an appointment or come along on the day to find out how to solve nagging glitches in their everyday operations. 

A wide range of courses to suit different business needs are available in the Link business training programme, covering subjects such as finance; IT; management development and tourism. 

Claire Campbell, skills development manager said:  "The training courses have been successful with businesses in Skye and there is now an opportunity for people from Wester Ross to come along to meet us on these days and find out more about what the LINK courses have to offer.  The LINK training course programme includes familiar courses from previous years plus new ones, developed specifically for businesses after consulting them and establishing their needs.  We hope that many people attend on these days to find out what we have to offer businesses as well as individuals."

Julie Barber works in the housekeeping department in Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye and was a delegate on the Customer Service for Frontline Staff workshop.  She said:  "We examined different situations with customers and how to deal with things without being aggressive.  It has helped me become chattier with customers and it was a very enjoyable day away from work."

Fiona Williams from Plockton Stores completed a basic book keeping course.  She said:  "I found this to be a good general course, full of tips on how to file away all my bits of paper.  The practical examples were simple and really work in real life."

Bookings can be made either by phone through the Skye and Lochalsh Learning Centre Network, by post, or online at www.link.learningcentres.org.  All the information about the courses is available on this new website.  Previously, a booklet was published every year but as the courses became more flexible, the use of the website made it easier to add new courses throughout the year.

Overseeing the booking service is Cheryl MacRae who said: "When businesses made their bookings last year, they were really excited about coming along and they seemed very pleased with the outcome of the training.  We also carried out telephone evaluations after the courses to find out exactly how the businesses had benefited and how they were applying their new skills. The feedback was tremendous and we hope that many new businesses will benefit this year."

All the courses are subsidised by HIE Skye and Wester Ross to ensure that some of the best trainers from all over Scotland can assist local companies and organisations, large and small, to obtain the skills and information necessary to continuously improve and grow.