New Centre of Excellence plan unveiled to tackle critical skills shortage in Highlands and Islands

Known as Highlands and Islands Skills, the initiative aims to redefine how infrastructure, construction, engineering and renewable energy skills are developed in Scotland.

The vision, designed to tackle the critical skills shortage in the energy and infrastructure sectors, has already gathered support from Angus MacDonald MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, as well as Inverness West Community Council.

Highlands and Islands Skills, which will be branded Hi-skills, is the culmination of a shared vision of industry leaders Callum Mackintosh, Jack Howell and Dylan Spink. All three have a deep understanding of the current gaps in training provision across the Highlands and Islands and are committed to building a better, more equitable future for learners, workers and employers in the region.

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) are also committed to working in partnership on this initiative to help Hi-skills shape its vision for the centre. Any new programmes will aim to enhance the training offered in the region and to avoid any duplication or displacement.

According to a report published by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) earlier this year, it is anticipated that, between 2025 and 2040, the Highlands and Islands will see over 250 infrastructure projects backed with an investment of over £100 billion. These projects are part of the region’s transition to the green economy with significant developments in pumped storage hydro, wind power and green hydrogen, and the opportunities presented by the Cromarty Firth Green Freeport status. It is estimated that, at its peak, the region will require 16,000 workers a year. However, the region is facing a critical skills shortage.

After an extensive search and with no viable alternatives emerging through engagement with The Highland Council, Hi-skills has identified Torvean Quarry as the optimal location for the Centre. Based on the eligibility and criteria set out in the Community Empowerment Act of 2015, Hi-skills has now initiated the Community Asset Transfer process.

This follows unsuccessful attempts to buy or lease the site from The Highland Council. A £28 million investment is set to transform the Highlands through Hi-skills, beginning with a £6.7m phase one, unlocking training delivery that benefits the economy by £11m in GVA annually. A further £21m in phase two will create a nationally significant Centre of Excellence for Skills, Safety and Innovation, cementing the Highlands’ role as a leader in infrastructure skills.

Highlighting the advantages of establishing the centre in Inverness City, Callum Mackintosh, director of Hi-skills, said: “It makes sense to create a national Centre of Excellence for Skills, Safety and Innovation in Inverness, where we have great road, rail and air links.

“Inverness is already a hub for renewables and construction, and many high-profile infrastructure projects are due to start on our doorstep such as the ongoing dualling of the A9, Loch Na Cathrach Pumped Storage Hydro, ASTI projects such as the Fort Augustus to Skye OHL, and countless other projects from Campbeltown to Lerwick. The Highland Council has also committed to build 24,000 new homes in the region, which will require much the same skilled workforce.

“Torvean Quarry is the perfect location for many reasons. Since 1991 it has sat empty and has inevitably attracted undesirable activity such as anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping. Because it is a former quarry, it is sunken meaning that any development would therefore have minimum visual impact.

“With nearly 40 acres, there is enough land to accommodate multiple indoor workshops and training spaces, but crucially, has sufficient space to provide outdoor training that reflects a realistic working environment for specialist trades such as civil engineering operatives, plant operators, scaffolders and wind turbine technicians.

“Whilst we understand The Highland Council has plans for a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on the site, we believe that using the site for a National Centre of Excellence for Skills, Safety and Innovation has the potential to deliver more long term economic and place based benefits, strengthening the reputation of the Highlands as a leader in sustainable development and vocational learning.

“We are pleased to have support from Angus MacDonald MP and Inverness West Community Council, representing the interests of residents close to Torvean Quarry. We also have the backing from leading national and regional training providers as well as the endorsement from regional and national employers struggling with the current skills shortage to make Hi-skills’ vision a reality. 

“We are calling on The Highland Council to do the right thing. Every month of delay holds back training, jobs and millions in economic growth for this region. The Council has a clear choice: to back a plan that will deliver long-term benefit for our Highland and island communities, or to stand in the way with a BESS development. Hi-skills is ready to move immediately, whether through purchase, lease or community transfer. What matters now is action so that local people and businesses feel the benefits without delay.”

Angus MacDonald, MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, said: “The renewables boom has yet to deliver meaningful benefits to the Highlands, either in terms of community investment or local employment. Equipping the local workforce with the skills needed for these jobs would be a major step forward, helping to retain our young people and boosting the local economy. It is unacceptable to bring in external staff, house them in temporary worker camps, and send our young people south to complete their education. Congratulations to Hi-Skills for pursuing such a bold and necessary ambition.”

Inverness West Community Council expressed its support for the centre: “It is refreshing to hear a new and innovative approach that would bring new life to a tired and neglected site.

“The quarry closed in 1991 and has lain disused since then. It attracts unsightly fly-tipping and even abandoned vehicles around the entrance.

“Whilst The Highland Council is actively seeking tenders to design, build and operate a Battery Electrical Storage System (BESS) on the site, residents have already expressed concern about that proposal and IWCC shares their reservations. BESS technology currently involves lithium, a volatile element that reacts violently with water. Fires are difficult to control, leaving emergency services little alternative but containment.

“Fallout from a major incident could adversely affect residents in Kinmylies, Ballifeary and Dalneigh, and have a significant ecological impact on the adjacent Caledonian Canal and River Ness. Although the benefit would be a small contribution to grid resilience, it is unclear that there would be any local community benefit. IWCC believes storage would be better built adjacent to generation facilities, away from residential areas, and should be a condition of planning permission for wind and solar farms.

“Hi-Skills’ proposal would see the site returned to productive use, delivering tangible benefits to the local community and the wider Highland and Islands region. IWCC is therefore pleased to support Hi-Skills’ Community Asset Transfer application.”

Tackling the skills shortage

The proposed centre will remove long-standing barriers to apprenticeships, placing nearly 300 apprentices immediately and unlocking the opportunity for 300 additional new apprentice starts annually. This will not only inject £6.24 million in direct employment value into the regional economy (based on average apprentice salaries of £20,800) but also stimulate local employers to expand capacity and take on new contracts, creating a ripple effect of economic activation that extends far beyond the initial cohort.

Tim Balcon, CEO of CITB, outlined the significance of the Centre of Excellence for Skills, Safety and Innovation: “We have the opportunity to do something really special here. By creating this centre, we are creating a skilled workforce for generations to come. This will ensure that Scotland can deliver on its ambition to be a world leader in infrastructure and construction.”

Next steps

Hi-skills will build the centre in two phases. Phase one will deliver a modular training facility and associated infrastructure to enable early skills delivery aligned with live construction projects and regional demand. This phase will include external workshop areas, classrooms and practical training zones, allowing training delivery to begin well before the permanent facility is completed. Hi-skills is confident that phase one can be actioned within six weeks of site entry.

Phase two, the permanent facility, will be constructed during the first three years and once completed, anticipated by 2028, the modular facility can then be dismantled and redeployed in smaller parts to other regions as demand grows, directly supporting Hi-skills’ hub-and-spoke model for true regional delivery.

Once up and running, both UHI and the CITB’s National Construction College will use the facility to support further education courses and deliver specialist apprenticeships.

No learner will leave the centre without a clear pathway into meaningful employment. Upon completion, learners will be matched with live job opportunities which will include temporary contracts, permanent roles and apprenticeships across the Highlands and Islands and beyond. Additional support such as CV preparation, interview coaching and compliance readiness will be provided to ensure learners are fully prepared for the workplace.