INTRODUCTION
Overall, the number of unemployed in Caithness and Sutherland rose from 916 last month to 1,002. The revised unemployment rates in the Sutherland, Wick and Thurso ‘Travel to Work Areas’ respectively are as follows (corresponding figures for last month are shown in brackets) 7.6% (7.3%), 6.1% (5.4%) and 3.5% (3.0%).

SKILLSEEKERS
384 young people are currently on Skillseekers, 371 of whom are being employed status trainees. There were a total of 12 vocational qualifications gained, 10 of which were at Level III.

MODERN APPRENTICESHIPS
328 Modern Apprentices are currently in training. There were 7 MA certificates achieved, including those by Peter Oag, Wick, and Allan Bokas, Portgower, in mixed farming and plumbing respectively.

TRAINING FOR WORK
There are currently 42 participants on Training For Work. A total of 8 qualifications were achieved, including an Owner Manager - Level III vocational qualification for Elizabeth Gilchrist from Lairg.

There were also 4 Positive Outcomes achieved, with three participants going into employment following their time on the programme, while one person went into further education.

NEW DEAL
21 participants started on Gateway, while a further 21 people went into a variety of employment and training options.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
There were a total of 6 individual Skills Development grants approved, including assistance of £750 for Michael Aitken, Keiss, to enable him to undertake a PCN Radiographic Inspection course.

TOURISM TRAINING
Representatives from tourism businesses attended courses aimed at enhancing the service they provide. M H Training delivered a course entitled 'Brush up on Housekeeping' at the Craigmonie Hotel in Inverness, while Clive Humby was the speaker at a 'Tourism Masterclass' at Gleneagles.

FINANCE FOR BUSINESS
Scrabster Seafoods Ltd was awarded approval of assistance of up to £507,400 towards the construction of a new fish grading, processing and packing plant at Scrabster, while Ashley Anne Ltd were awarded assistance of up to £40,688 towards the expansion and upgrading of their Thurso factory.

Roderick Macleod, Lochinver, was awarded assistance of £1,500 towards diversification into prawn creel fishing, while

Graeme Gunn & Charles Mackay, Talmine, were awarded assistance of £13,700 towards diversification into mussel farming.

The remaining approvals were for: Ramscraig Kennels, Dunbeath, towards increasing the capacity of the kennels; Physio First, towards the relocation of the business to Golspie; and Alexander Ross, Golspie, towards the purchase of specialist equipment.

HIE STARTS
Elizabeth Gilchrist, Rosehall, has received assistance towards starting Faclan, a business which will provide a proof reading service to a variety of customers. Also assisted was Richard Glover, Lairg who will provide a pony carriage trekking service, which will include an option to learn how to drive a carriage.

HIE INNOVATION SUPPORT SCHEME
Kendra Ballantyne was awarded assistance of up to £250 towards the costs of attending a trade show for the beauty industry, while D M Geddes, Halkirk and D Steven & Son, Scrabster both received business consultancy advice.

BUSINESS SPECIALIST SKILLS
Pentland Housing Association, Thurso, was awarded assistance of £285.50 towards the costs of Advanced Certificate of Construction Practises and Education & Training for Chartered Public Finance Accountants courses. Also assisted were: William Mackay, Golspie; Fiona Mackay, Parkhill Hotel, Durness; and, The Home Bakery, Wick, all towards the costs of undertaking training in computerised accounts.

E-BUSINESS SUPPORT SCHEME
Ackergill Tower, Wick, was awarded £7,800 towards the development of their computer network.

Sports & Arts Grants
The Caithness Science Festival is to be assisted with the cost of staging 'Science 03', while Caithness Archaeological Trust are to receive up to £610 towards the cost of staging a summer archaeological conference. Also assisted was Assynt Crofters’ Trust, to help with the costs of a series of events planned for this year to commemorate their tenth anniversary.

Community INVESTMENT Grants
Wick Play Areas Committee are to receive up to £20,000 towards the cost of a new play area at the Bignold Park, while New Futures Sutherland are to be assisted with the innovative “Wheels to Work” project. This project is aimed at helping unemployed people with transport difficulties to find work by teaching them to drive.

Also assisted were Kyle Action Group, to assist with a village lighting display, and Lairg Crofters’ Show Committee, to assist with the purchase of a Marquee for it's annual event.

Community Planning
Pulteneytown Peoples’ Project is to receive up to £33,082 to help establish a community regeneration project in the fragile area of Wick. Also assisted were Far North Sub-aqua Club, to assist with the first stage of an ambitious project to establish a dive centre at Wick Harbour, and the North West Cattle Producers Association, to help with the costs of creating a three year business plan.

Skills Aid
Culag Community Woodland Trust are to receive up to £1,250 to help with the costs of staging a community woodland skills events.

There were a total of 4 approvals, including assistance for Shona Blance, Navidale and Garry MacDonald, Brora, who both secured re-let crofts.

CED funding was approved to match Community Planning awards for both the Pulteneytown Peoples’ Project, Far North Sub-aqua Club and the North West Cattle Producers Association projects. Matched funding was also approved for the Sports and Arts award for the Assynt Crofters' Trust anniversary celebrations.

APPROVALS FOR FEBRUARY 2003
The following are funds approved during the month ending 28th February 2003. Please note that the sums relate to approvals, not payments. While finance may be approved, for a business investment for example, it does not guarantee that the developments will go ahead. The approval simply shows that CASE funds have been made available, but they will not be released until evidence is received that the project or activity has gone ahead.

Bonus payments are also paid to the Training Provider for every trainee who goes from the scheme to employment (including self-employment) or further education.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS - Unemployed (75% of the cost of the course)