This month (12 June 2026), Highland payroll specialist Hayley Paterson launched her new financial literacy book, Pay Me, at Inverness Royal Academy. The event was held in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce Inverness & Central Highland (DYWICH) and marked the first stop on a planned tour of Highland academies aimed at helping young people understand pay, work and money before they leave school.
Hayley Paterson is The Payroll Guide and owner of Chanonry Payroll Solutions. Based in the Scottish Highlands, she built her payroll education and consultancy brand around a simple belief: that pay and payroll should be understandable to the people they affect. Her new book, Pay Me, was written for school leavers and the people supporting them, covering topics such as payslips, tax codes, pension auto-enrolment, holiday pay and the questions many young people only begin to ask once they enter the workplace.
Pay Me is written for school leavers and the people guiding them. It covers payslips, tax codes, pension auto-enrolment, holiday pay, and the questions most young people only think to ask once they are already in their first job. Pupils and teachers at Inverness Royal Academy peer-reviewed the book during its development, making the school the natural home for its launch.
The event was hosted by Hayley and featured a panel discussion exploring the transition from education to employment. Panellists included Sandra McCaughey from DYW, Holly Wilson, Business Studies Teacher at Inverness Royal Academy, and young professionals Rachel Johnstone, Business and Marketing Coordinator at RI Cruden, and Joel Sleet, Digital Growth Executive at teclan, who shared their experiences of entering the workplace and navigating the realities of employment.
Andrew MacDonald, Deputy Head Teacher at Inverness Royal Academy, said, “Inverness Royal Academy was delighted to welcome Hayley into the school to discuss her new book. It provided a fantastic learning opportunity for our students and an inspiring event for them. Financial literacy is a key driver of social mobility and equity in our society, and we are always keen to promote it with our young people.”
Gillian Denovan, DYW School Coordinator for Inverness Royal Academy, said, “We were proud to support this collaboration between Hayley Paterson and Inverness Royal Academy, giving young people the opportunity to contribute directly to a resource designed for their generation. Building confidence around financial literacy and understanding the workplace are essential skills for future employment and Pay Me tackles these topics in a practical and accessible way. Initiatives like this help bridge the gap between education and the world of work, while ensuring young people feel more informed and prepared as they take their next steps.”
Rachel Johnstone, Business and Marketing Coordinator at RI Cruden, said, “Stepping into the workforce straight out of school can be overwhelming, and as a young person, I understand that pressure firsthand. The event offered such a unique opportunity to open the conversation on what is an incredibly important topic for young people, helping to bridge that crucial gap between school and employment. Emphasising that you don’t have to have it all figured out the moment you leave school and giving young people the confidence and tools to navigate the real world at our own pace.”
Joel Sleet, Digital Growth Executive at teclan, said, “It was a great opportunity to be part of an event that shed light on under looked topics many school leavers feel clueless or lost about. Understanding your pay not only ensures you get paid fairly but also creates financial independence and the ability to develop in life. Financial and payroll education gives young people something important to think about as they transition from school into working life.”
Hayley Paterson, founder of The Payroll Guide, said, “It is not a young person’s responsibility to have it all figured out, but to give themselves some interesting options for the future. Pay Me was written to teach young people the process and the strategy of getting paid, so that they can know their options and make informed choices that are right for them. The pupils at Inverness Royal Academy helped shape the book during writing, so launching it back in their school was exactly the right place to start.”
The launch generated positive discussion around the importance of financial literacy, employability and preparing young people for the realities of work. It also marked the beginning of a wider programme of school visits planned across the Highlands, designed to support teachers, parents and young people in building confidence and understanding as they take their first steps into employment.