Shared Sharing Practice

Portree High School - homes Highland pupils will build

House under construction

Introduction

Portree High School caters for pupils from S1 to S6 and the have 15 associated primary schools spread across the isalnd and Raasay.  The school has 660 puypils and about 60 teachers.  Recently Portree has been working with a local employer in a programme that will help keep young people in Skye. Anticipating skills needs is central to a five-year vocational plan to prepare pupils for local employment.

Aims

The school has identified key industry sectors - care for children and elderly people, construction, hospitality, ICT, and sport and recreation - as areas that will provide future local employment.

There are also long-term plans to develop a programme to include land management (crofting), fish farming and other rural skills. 

Method

Already, a programme of work has been agreed with construction company MacDonald Bros & Co of Portree, to work with S5 and S6 pupils.

Depute Headteacher Don Esson says:

The Local Housing Plan identifies a need for 150-200 new homes to be built in the area, which will generate employment in the construction industry. MacDonald Bros already contributes significantly to providing employment opportunities on the island. The school is also working closely with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Highland Council. We are very pleased to have the company as a business partner.

 

Employer engagement

MacDonald Bros is providing:

  • advice, help and support on employment issues
  • work placements for S3, S5 and S6 pupils
  • skills demonstrations by builders and joiners
  • professional assessment of pupils' work.

MacDonald Bros involvement is proving invaluable in keeping what we are doing relevant to the world of work and in particular to the construction industry.

The company is facilitating access through its contractors to every construction discipline and it is broadening pupils' experience in helping to arrange site visits.

Next steps

Next session this will be offered to S3 pupils at Intermediate 1 level and for S5-S6 pupils at Intermediate 2 level.