By Colin Marr, Chief Executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce
As published in August Edition of Executive Magazine here.
For the Highlands to truly thrive over the next few years we need more of our young people to stay here, and we need to attract more young people from elsewhere.
For generations young people in the Highlands have grown up with the assumption that they’ll need to leave to meet all their aspirations. It’s often been education that drags them south, to universities in the central belt or beyond. From there, career opportunities, social networks, and life commitments can make it hard for them to find a way back.
And the results are clear for us all to see – the Highlands are suffering from de-population. And that headline de-population figure hides an even more worrying truth – that our older population (that’s people like me) is rising, while our younger population is falling at a worrying rate.
Already companies in the Highlands are struggling to fill their vacancies and if the population decline continues, we’ll see school rolls fall (and maybe some closures), we’ll fail to attract doctors and dentists, and hospital specialisms will move out of the Highlands – meaning that we’ll all have to travel further for anything other than routine care. In short, our way of life will change – and not for the better.
But it doesn’t have to be like this. The Highlands is on the brink of change. The idea that there are better opportunities for our young people in the big cities is outdated.
The Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport is expected to create around 10,000 jobs in our region over the next ten years with a further 5000 new jobs being identified in HIE’s recent Regional Transformation Opportunities report. Many of these jobs are at the cutting edge of renewables, energy transition, engineering, logistics, and advanced manufacturing.
These aren’t just numbers; these jobs represent genuine long-term career pathways.
One of the most powerful ways to attract and retain people is the move to “earn while you learn” models, including apprenticeships. They allow young people to gain real work experience while also gaining qualifications and avoiding debt. In the case of graduate apprenticeships that goes up to degree level. It’s a system that works—not just for individuals, but for the businesses that train and hire them.
So why aren’t there more apprentices? The problem isn’t demand. It’s capacity. Right now, we are turning away capable, motivated young people from apprenticeships in the Highlands because the places are full. In some other parts of Scotland, apprenticeship uptake is slower and some vacancies go unfilled. There’s a mismatch in supply and demand that urgently needs to be addressed. We need to expand apprenticeship provision where the demand is strongest and its stronger in the Highlands than elsewhere.
I’m writing this on the day that pupils across Highland will be receiving their exam results. For some people, moving to another area is the right choice which they can benefit from enormously – learning how to live independently and to have experiences in a new city.
But our job is to shout loudly about the opportunities that are here. That way we ensure that everyone understands all the options that are open to them and we keep the people that want to stay while attracting others.
Our challenge is to tell a new story about the Highlands. A story that correctly positions us as one of the most exciting regions in Scotland with future-facing industries, sustainable growth, and career opportunities for everyone. Within that, our traditional industries remain vital to our economy. Food and drink, tourism, forestry, marine, construction and health and social care are all evolving and now require digital skills, technical expertise, and leadership capacity that young people can bring.
But in the Highlands they also offer something increasingly rare: the opportunity to build a meaningful career in a place where quality of life isn’t compromised. Urban areas are becoming less affordable, more competitive, and, in many cases, more isolating. The Highlands, by contrast, offers something deeply compelling: a connection to place, a sense of belonging, and a growing number of high-quality jobs.
To fully realise the potential ahead, we need to work together to ensure that young people—whether they’ve grown up here or are considering a move – can see the full range of options available to them. That means better links between schools, colleges, employers, and industry bodies. It means showcasing local success stories and making career pathways more visible. And it means continuing to invest in housing, transport, and digital infrastructure to ensure that people can live and work in the region without compromise.
There’s a lot more to do but the fundamentals are in place: strong sectors, low unemployment, major new investment, and a regional economy that is open, ambitious, and increasingly connected to global markets.
This is a pivotal moment. With the right support, we can build a future where young people don’t just grow up here – they stay, they thrive, and they help lead the Highlands into a new era of prosperity. It’s time to shift the story, match ambition with opportunity, and make our region a magnet for the talent of tomorrow