Weekly update, 15th and 22nd October

Energy & Business Services:

Cavendish Dounreay Partnership, the Parent Body Organisation at Dounreay, made a significant announcement last week on opportunities for its workforce (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dounreay-management-makes-long-term-employment-commitment-to-workforce), which included a commitment to “develop training and support programmes to put individuals in the strongest possible position to move into another local job with one of the growing industries such as space or renewable energy. Importantly, there will also be a job offer with one of Dounreay’s parent companies for any DSRL staff member who wishes to receive one.”

Enabling activities:

A good session last week with the Board of Wick Harbour Authority as we look at ways of supporting the ongoing economic growth taking place around the harbour area. The Authority has worked extremely hard to maximise the opportunities around offshore wind, and it is easy to see the transformational effect that the Beatrice project is having on the harbour area. We continue to look at ways of ensuring that the harbour can continue to grow its important role in delivering onshore economic benefit.

Communications:

As part of an ongoing process of helping communicate progress with the delivery of aspects of our economic transition programme CNSRP’s partners work together to generate news stories for local, regional and national media. I also speak on a regular basis to individuals and organisations across the area to update on progress. This week:

• I was on the Dounreay site last week to deliver presentations on the work of CNSRP to workforce audiences. Myself and Simon Middlemas delivered the penultimate in our 2018 series of presentations, and it was good to see some people returning to hear what we had to say, having attended presentations from us in previous years. Cavendish Dounreay Partnership made its announcement on future employment opportunities for its workforce this week (see above). Our final presentation will be delivered in the coming weeks. Simon and I also this week delivered our presentation to a group of students and staff from North Highland College UHI Thurso.
• It was good to meet Paul Vallance, NDA’s Director of Communications, this week during his visit to Caithness. Together with representatives of the Dounreay Stakeholders Group we discussed the current range of priorities on the CNSRP programme, and were pleased to hear of NDA’s continuing commitment to working with CNSRP partners.
• I was delighted this week to accept the offer to become HIE’s Area Manager for Caithness and Sutherland – as you may know I have been “acting up” in this role for the past 7 weeks following Roy Kirk’s move to become Director for the UKVL project, but I’m delighted to have been appointed following a publicly-advertised recruitment process. CNSRP partners are committed to continuing the important work of the Partnership, so I’m looking forward to helping ensure that happens. http://news.hie.co.uk/all-news/eann-appointed-area-manager-in-caithness-and-sutherland/
• And in my role as HIE Area Manager I was able to attend the 12^th annual “Business in the Parliament” conference held yesterday (Friday) in the Scottish Parliament. The event celebrated the Year of Young People 2018, and featured two inspirational presentations from school Young Enterprise teams from Aberdeen and Kirkwall in front of First Minster Nicola Sturgeon MSP and a large audience.
  

  Kirkwall Grammer School’s Team Estrela present their business to the First Minister, MSPs and audience at Business in the Parliament, Holyrood.