UHI Inverness students ready to enter a civil engineering workforce with 'unprecedented' opportunities
The latest Civil Engineering Operative students to graduate from CECA Academy Scotland were told they would be entering a workforce with ‘unprecedented’ opportunities when they celebrated their success at a special ceremony at UHI Inverness.
Michael Butler, Euan Greig, Aiden Moore, Duncan Murdock, Theo Ross, Ethan Ewen and Charlie Kilday all received graduation certificates from David MacDonald, Vice Chair of CECA Scotland.
Duncan Murdock also received a special award of a golden shovel for being the hardest working student and Charlie Kilday was presented with a certificate in recognition of his excellent attendance and performance throughout the course. They also received certificates for completing a site safety awareness course run by civil engineering firm RJ McLeod, as well as Construction Skills Certification Scheme awards, making them site ready.
After they received their certificates, the seven graduates met with representatives from ten civil engineering firms at a networking session, in the first stage of a recruitment process which guarantees job interviews for all completing students.
They are the fourth cohort of students to complete the 18-week course that was introduced at UHI Inverness in 2023 to address the skills shortage in the civil engineering industry.
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association Scotland designed the course to meet the workforce needs of an industry with a growing skills gap. Energy Skills Partnership (ESP) worked with UHI Inverness and other colleges to introduce the course within the SQA qualification framework, and the Scottish Funding Council also provided support.
The latest ceremony was held at the Balloch campus and was attended by students, staff, family members, members of CECA Scotland and representatives from civil engineering firms Global Infrastructure, Pat Munro, BEAR Scotland, Balfour Beatty, Murphy, RJ McLeod, BAM Nuttall, Morrisons, Leiths and McGowan Infrastructure.
The course provides an important new route into the industry and will support the attraction and retention of new talent.
The graduation included a presentation from David MacDonald, Managing Director of Global Infrastructure, on the ‘unprecedented’ future billion-pound civil engineering projects planned across Scotland.
However, he added as a result of an ageing workforce the industry was losing skills and experience, and it needed to invest in young people to fill the skills gap and allow them to take advantage of these job opportunities.
He told the graduates: “There is a positive future ahead; this is a fulfilling industry that leaves a legacy for the future, and I hope you will all be part of that.”
The students began studying for the NPA Construction Operations qualification earlier this year, attending five days a week from 9am to 5pm. They learned a range of practical skills at the Balloch campus, which was supported with classroom learning at the Inverness Campus.
William Macleod, the Depute Curriculum Lead for Construction Technology at UHI Inverness, opened the event by thanking the teaching and support staff, as well as local employers and CECA for supporting the course. He gave a special thanks to lecturer Liam Mackay for his on-going coordination of the course and to lecturer Donnie Mackenzie who has contributed significantly to the success of the programme. He added that the next cohort of students would start the course at the end of August.
The students with teaching staff. Photos courtesy of CECA Scotland
The UHI Inverness lecturing staff members have gone on to share their experience and best practice with other Scottish colleges that have since introduced the course.
Carrie Higgins, Tertiary Education Leader at UHI Inverness, said the programme had started with two colleges – UHI Inverness and Fife College – and was now part of the curriculum of six colleges across Scotland thanks to the support of CECA Scotland and industry.
Carrie thanked the students for all their efforts throughout the course and encouraged them to continue training and learning throughout their careers.
“We are the only institute in Scotland that can take civil engineers from operative level right through to graduates, and please remember that you can return to UHI Inverness to achieve further qualifications to support you as you progress in your careers,” she said.