Make your life easier with a MyHIE account. It’ll save you time, help you find and organise content based on your needs and interests.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has commissioned the study into the changing attitudes and aspirations of people aged 15 to 30 in relation to the Highlands and Islands, and wants to make sure the voice of young people in Caithness and Sutherland is heard.
The online survey will build on a similar study carried out in 2015, which demonstrated an overwhelming sense of pride and confidence in the region among the 4,400 young people who took part.
This showed that young people in Caithness and Sutherland are proud of their local community and more wish to stay locally than is the case across the region. However, the area also had the highest proportion of reluctant leavers in the Highlands and Islands. This highlighted the mismatch between desire to remain and opportunities to do so, either in education or employment.
The new study is exploring opportunities around education, training and employment for the age group, and how these can be maximised.
Those taking part can enter a prize draw, with prizes including tickets to Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival and Groove Loch Ness, as well as vouchers for Spotify and Netflix.
There have been more than a thousand responses to the survey so far, 92 of them from Caithness and Sutherland.
Roy Kirk, HIE’s area manager, said:
“Young economically active people are absolutely key to the future prosperity of our area and the Highlands and Islands generally. They are also crucial in the long-term sustainability of communities.
“This is an important study and we want to make sure the views of young people across Caithness and Sutherland are properly represented in the study.
“The findings will be shared with all our partners and will help inform policy and activities in relation to both population growth and young talent attraction and retention across the region.”
Young people can access the online survey at www.hie.co.uk/yp-research . It takes around 15 minutes to complete and is running until the end of July.
Businesses in the Highlands and Islands continue to be challenged by increasing costs, economic uncertainty and supply chain issues.
HIE has published its annual report and accounts for 2020-21
HIE's new chief executive
Firms encouraged to consider Pathfinder accelerator programme
Business panel survey seeks views across Scotland.
£1.47m of net zero transition funding for Tourism
Business survey shows signs of economic recovery and renewed optimism
Another 22 young business leaders from around the Highlands and Islands have become the latest to take part in a year-long programme aimed at developing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
A three-year strategy to help in the recovery of the tourism industry in Caithness and Sutherland has secured £365,000 investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
HIE has awarded a new framework agreement for the procurement of specialist advise to support its clients.
HIE has published a report on its latest survey of a thousand businesses across the region, from a variety of sectors.
Prioritising colleagues’ wellbeing equates to a better service for our clients, writes Helen Herd interim director of HR at HIE