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NEW SKILLS OFFERED TO LOCAL FIRMS
Businesses across the Highlands and Islands are being offered extra help this summer to carry out short-term projects which could produce lasting benefits.

The Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP) matches skilled undergraduates with a wide range of businesses to address a specific need within each company.

Students taking part in the programme are skilled in a variety of disciplines, from marketing and product development to IT and accountancy.

Each placement lasts for eight weeks, beginning in July 2003. This is the first year that the scheme has been available throughout the Highlands and Islands. Applications to participate in the scheme are being taken now.

Steve Miles STEP co-ordinator said, "STEP has been operating for a number of years in other parts of the UK, where it has been a terrific success. Over three hundred businesses in Scotland have participated in STEP in the last two years alone. This is the first time that we have been able to provide the scheme throughout the Highlands and Islands and we are keen to see as many local businesses as possible take advantage of the opportunity."

The scheme is being administered by Careers Scotland, with Mr Miles based in Dingwall, and local representatives Linda Robertson of Careers Scotland in Shetland and Donnie Smith of Lews Castle College in the Western Isles.

A wide range of projects have been undertaken in the past, such as designing company websites, development of new products, marketing plans, and accounting solutions. Mr Miles said, "Candidate businesses only have to tell us their requirements, and we will match them up with a student with the right skills. This scheme really is a boon for everyone concerned, since the businesses get the considerable benefits of having a talented undergraduate working on their behalf, and the students get real, hands-on work experience and the satisfaction of seeing through a project that will have lasting impact for the business."

In addition, at the end of the scheme, individual projects will be assessed locally, with the most successful going on to national finals at Scottish and UK level in the autumn. The students who win receive considerable financial rewards, and the host companies stand to gain considerable media interest.
Applications for this year's STEP are now open, and businesses that might be interested in the scheme should get in touch as quickly as possible to discuss their project.

Mr Miles can be contacted at the Careers Scotland office in Dingwall on 01349 864914 or 07789 926803 or [email protected]