The Highland Council is proud to celebrate the vital contribution that apprentices make across our services and communities, this Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2026.
This week we will be showcasing the impact that work‑based learning has on young people, career‑changers, and as a local authority. The Council currently supports apprentices in a wide range of roles including apprenticeship programmes and professional development.
The Highland Council currently has 555 pupils progressing through their Foundation Apprenticeship (FA’s) courses at SCQF L4 - L6 and 143 employees undertaking Modern Apprenticeship qualifications (MA’s) at SCQF L5-L9 across a broad range of subject areas, including Automotive Skills, Business & Administration, Civil Engineering, Construction, Building Maintenance, Plumbing & Heating, Creative Digital Media, Hospitality, Children & Young People (including Gaelic-medium delivery), Social Services & Healthcare and Software Development. We also have 32 employees undertaking Graduate Apprenticeship qualifications (GA’s) studying towards SCQF L10 in Business Management, Civil Engineering, Cyber Security, Data Science and Engineering.
Education Committee Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: “Apprenticeships and professional development are a key part of our workforce strategy. They give people the chance to earn, learn, and build confidence while developing valuable skills in the workplace. Our apprentices bring fresh ideas, talent and energy, and play a key role in delivering essential services for our communities. We are committed to expanding opportunities across the organisation so even more people can benefit from work‑based learning.
“Throughout the week, the Council will be sharing stories of our in-house apprentices’ journeys, showcasing their achievements and highlighting the diverse routes available. Staff and residents will also hear from managers/mentors who have supported apprenticeships within their teams and seen first-hand how they strengthen service delivery.”
The Council’s commitment includes:
- Growing apprenticeship pathways across priority service areas.
- Strengthening support and mentoring for apprentices.
- Working with partners including Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), Skills Development Scotland (SDS) – Workforce North, UHI and third sector organisations.
- Encouraging more Highland residents to explore apprenticeships as a first step or a new direction in their career.
There are currently around 12,000 apprentice employers in Scotland, investing in over 40,000 Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprentices (external link).
For every £1 of public investment in apprenticeships, the exchequer gets £4 to £5 in return. This £450 million in tax raised helps fuel £1 billion of employer investment in skills.
Apprenticeships are working for Scotland’s employers, providing a pipeline of talent that is being supported and trained to meet their needs.
Scottish Apprenticeships are created in partnership with employers, for employers. Nine out of 10 employers say apprenticeships significantly improved job performance.
For more information about apprenticeship opportunities with The Highland Council, visit: Myjobscotland (External link), and sign up for job alerts.