Hundreds of pupils attend first online Gaelic careers event
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Up to 200 young people from 11 Highland secondary schools joined the first online Siuthad Gaelic careers events from Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and Highland Council.
The aim of Siuthad's two events was to showcase information on Gaelic careers and highlight opportunities in sectors where having Gaelic skills is an advantage. The first event was targeted at fluent speakers (S3-S6) and the latter event was for Gaelic learners (S4-S6).
With the current pandemic, Highland Council’s Schools Google platform was used by the Gaelic team, education officials and SDS to incorporate a series of links to workshops and information about the organisations who delivered them.
The events themselves largely comprised of a series of interactive workshops and a "marketplace" where pupils could speak live to a range of organisations and find out about the work they do.
Workshops were delivered by organisations such as Bord na Gaidhlig, SDS, The Care and Learning Alliance (CALA), MG Alba, Theatre Gu Leor, Young Ambassadors, FilmG and Sabhal Mor Ostaig. Exhibitors contributing to the Marketplace included Education Scotland, Young Scot, University of Edinburgh, Highland Council and the University of the Highlands and Islands.
The events opened with a virtual welcome from Scottish Government cabinet minister for finance Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.
Ms Forbes, herself a former Gaelic medium education pupil, stressed the many advantages that speaking Gaelic had given her in her career in banking and latterly as a politician.
She said: “I would say to anyone who is studying Gaelic at school to keep going with it as I think there are many career opportunities where you can use it when you leave school. These include careers in the media, teaching, music, technology and even politics.”
Inverness Royal Academy Gaelic teacher Catriona MacPhee said: “While the thought of being online was rather daunting beforehand, it was very successful on the day. There was a good variety of information for pupils and an excellent opportunity for them to hear so much Gaelic.
“It was a genuinely interactive event that allowed pupils to ask questions and participate at whichever level they felt comfortable. Links for the different sessions have been left live for a spell, so that pupils can revisit the links and information or those who weren’t able to join can do so.”
SDS careers adviser Joan Duncan said: “This was a different experience for young people, especially those who have been along to previous Gaelic careers events. The feedback has been really positive, with young people telling us they had enjoyed the first online Siuthad and were glad they had taken part.”
Highland Council Gaelic committee chairman Councillor Calum Munro delivered the closing remarks.
He said: “The event was extremely successful as the participation and engagement by the young people and the exhibitors during the online workshops was excellent.
"The young people were informed of the opportunities which are available to them should they continue to study Gaelic in secondary education and beyond: Siuthad is the first online careers event and I wish to take this opportunity to both congratulate and thank the young people, teachers, all the schools and exhibitors who took part in the event, especially as a virtual careers event has not taken place before and everyone had to adapt to maximising the use of different educational platforms and technologies."
