THE University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has celebrated its third cohort of CECA Scotland Academy Civil Engineering Operative students going straight from the graduation ceremony to job interviews.
A graduation ceremony was held at the Fort William campus on Wednesday June 10, followed by an employer networking and interview event bringing together some of the sector’s biggest names.
Employers attending on the day and conducting interviews with graduates included RJ McLeod, AKELA Construction, A. Kennedy Construction, Balfour Beatty, BEAR Scotland, Charles Brand, and TSL Construction Ltd.
UHI North, West, and Hebrides is one of eight CECA Academy Scotland college partners across Scotland, and one of only two in the Highlands and Islands.
The course was developed and is supported by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association Scotland (CECA Scotland) and its industry members, creating a direct college-to-work pathway for civil engineering operatives. This year, CECA Scotland’s Juliet Mallace and Sandy MacGillivray provided support throughout – from recruiting candidates and liaising with industry partners to delivering sessions directly to students.
Over 18 weeks, students combine classroom learning with hands-on skills development on a purpose-built training site, work experience placements, site visits, and talks from industry experts. Graduates leave the programme with an SQA-accredited NPA in Construction Operations and their Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card. Practical skills developed include laying kerbs and channels, excavating trenches, and setting out design information from plans.
With up to £100 billion of green energy and infrastructure investment forecast across the Highlands and Islands over the next decade, the programme is preparing students for a sector facing significant and sustained demand.
This year’s cohort also benefited from ‘outstanding support’ from industry partners throughout the course, UHI said. Charles Brand facilitated a visit to the Corran Ferry Infrastructure Improvement Scheme; Balfour Beatty donated tools and materials; Corrie Construction provided spare materials from their yard; RJ McLeod’s Kerwin Stephen delivered safety awareness training; and SureSafe, supported by funding from CITB, supplied essential personal protective equipment for all students.
Robert Ogg, MD of Akela Construction and board member of CECA Scotland, said, “It’s a pleasure to be visiting UHI North, West and Hebrides to speak with students, as well as their families and friends, about the wide range of opportunities available within civil engineering and the wider construction sector. Through our work with CECA Scotland, we’re proud to represent an industry that contributes around £4.5 billion annually to Scotland’s economy and supports over 30,000 jobs across vital infrastructure projects in road, rail, water and energy.”
Ian McIntyre, head of civils at TSL Contractors Ltd, added, “Being acutely aware of the importance of developing a local workforce, TSL have actively supported UHI/CECA in delivering this course over the last three years, ultimately employing three graduates to date. To the student’s credit, they have firmly grasped their opportunities and have integrated seamlessly into the TSL teams.”
Andy Bate, sustainability manager at Charles Brand, commented, “We are proud to support the recent CECA Academy course at Fort William via our works at the Corran Ferry Infrastructure Improvement Scheme, for The Highland Council. The course is a vital solution to the industry’s skills shortage and a way to cultivate future talent.”
Sam Crowe, social impact manager at Balfour Beatty, said, “It is inspiring to witness these young people grow so rapidly in just four months. Their confidence and skill set have developed remarkably, and today we see individuals ready to embark on the next stage of their careers in the construction industry.”
Martin Johnstone, civil engineering lecturer at UHI North, West and Hebrides, said, “Seeing this third cohort graduate is incredibly rewarding. What started as something entirely new for the college has grown into a strong, well-established programme, and the quality of what our students are achieving really reflects that.”
Applications are now open for the next Civil Engineering Operative course, starting in Fort William in September: NPA CECA Civil Engineering Operative (NPA Construction Operations) SCQF 5 (Fort William).
