Caithness Business Fund is creating opportunities that are vital to future of the north Highlands

Fifteen months since the launch of its FutureSkills initiative, Caithness Business Fund is celebrating the transformative impact on businesses and young people across the region.

Designed to fuel growth and address critical skills shortages, FutureSkills has already supported seven local businesses in creating high-quality apprenticeship roles across key sectors, including automotive engineering, fabrication and welding, joinery, plumbing and heating, electrical engineering, and vehicle maintenance.

This targeted investment is not just helping SMEs tackle rising employment and training costs – it is building a stronger, more resilient local supply chain and empowering the next generation of skilled workers to stay, train, and thrive in the north Highlands.

By directly addressing the financial barriers faced by small businesses – particularly the high upfront costs of training and wages – FutureSkills is unlocking opportunities for both employers and apprentices. Through this support, the fund is helping businesses grow and equipping young people with the hands-on experience and qualifications needed to shape a prosperous future for the region.

Seventeen-year-old vehicle maintenance and repair apprentice Corey Gunn joined MM Motors at Stemster Farm, Wick, in 2024. With a longstanding passion for cars and a natural aptitude for mechanics, Corey took the initiative to approach business owner Michael Miller about an apprenticeship.

He now works full-time in the garage while also travelling to Glasgow for his studies and is nearing the end of the first year of a four-year apprenticeship.

Mr Miller, owner of MM Motors, said: “Without the support from the Caithness Business Fund, this opportunity simply wouldn’t have been possible. The funding played a crucial role in making it economically viable for our business.

“Alongside the business costs of training an apprentice in-house, it has been invaluable in covering the long-distance travel and accommodation costs for Corey to attend GTG in Glasgow. There is a shortage of mechanics in the county, every garage will tell you that. So, I feel we have to get young blood into the industry to keep moving forward.”

As a young person, it’s so important to have access to apprenticeships and training opportunities. They give you a real chance to get hands-on experience and build a future locally.

He added: “From day one, Corey has shown a real enthusiasm for learning. He loves getting stuck in at the garage, working alongside me and John, and always returns from college full of energy, eager to share what he’s been learning.

“He’s managed the travel to Glasgow really well, and I’m genuinely proud of how far he’s come. Access to this funding has enabled us to create an opportunity for Corey that, otherwise, our business wouldn’t have been able to offer.”

Angela Warren, office manager, added: “Michael and I actually worked together during his own apprenticeship – and, funnily enough, Corey’s dad was our boss back then. It’s a lovely full-circle moment to now see Corey training with us. He’s a natural mechanic and a fantastic addition to the team.”

Plumbing and heating apprentice Jordan McLean joined Precision Plumbing in 2024. Now undertaking his second apprenticeship and studying towards his SVQ Level 3 in Plumbing and Heating at UHI Inverness, the 20-year-old was eager to pursue a career in the trade and proactively contacted business owner Greg MacLeod to get started.

For Greg, the decision to take on an apprentice came with financial challenges.

“The funding that was once available through SNIPEF – the governing body of the plumbing federation – is no longer as easily accessible to support the employment costs while apprentices complete their training,” he said. “Support from Caithness Business Fund has been a huge benefit to our business. From tooling to covering time away for training, it’s given us a safety net and helped us recover some of those costs.”

Jordan said: “As a young person, it’s so important to have access to apprenticeships and training opportunities. They give you a real chance to get hands-on experience and build a future locally. I’ve always wanted to work practically with my hands, get out and about meeting new people and learning new things, so this apprenticeship is perfect for me.”

Greg continued: “The variety of work we do is huge, ranging from domestic plumbing and heating to groundworks and drainage. Jordan is at the forefront of learning about emerging technologies in renewables, and it’s great to have these skills and knowledge being transferred directly back into the business.”

He explained how access to the funding has helped open doors for future workforce planning: “Jordan is mechanically minded, really keen, and eager to learn. There’s a huge amount to cover in any trade, so having a young person who’s committed to developing those skills is a real asset. Once he’s further along in his training, we’ll be in a stronger position to take on another apprentice.

“Apprentices are much needed in Caithness – both now and in the future. This funding is playing a vital role in helping small businesses like ours attract new talent into the industry and keep skills alive in the region.”

The FutureSkills funding was established in February 2024 in partnership with managing agent Caithness Chamber of Commerce, with initial investments of £50,000 each from Focus North partners, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and NRS Dounreay, attracting an additional £50,000 contribution from the West of Orkney Wind Farm in May that year.

Building on the success of the scheme’s first year, the NDA and NRS Dounreay committed an additional £250,000 in funding earlier this year, significantly expanding the programme’s reach and impact, further bolstering apprenticeship provision and supporting the launch of a pilot graduate placement scheme.

Trudy Morris, CEO of Caithness Chamber of Commerce and director of Caithness Business Fund, said: “FutureSkills is a powerful example of how funding can be harnessed to deliver lasting, meaningful impact within our local community.

“The apprentices supported through the fund today represent the skilled workforce of tomorrow, and the legacy benefits of this investment will be felt in our region for many years to come.

“Crucially, FutureSkills is helping to shape a positive narrative of opportunity in the north Highlands – nurturing talent, creating high-quality career pathways, and tackling the outward migration of skills – all of which are essential to our region’s long-term prosperity.

“We are delighted to have the backing of NRS Dounreay and the NDA on this initiative and for their continued support, which highlights FutureSkills role in strengthening the region’s skills base and shaping the workforce of the future.

“This significant second-year funding commitment will allow Caithness Business Fund to reach even more businesses in our region, and I would encourage anyone interested in exploring this opportunity to get in touch.”

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