The Open University is landing in Orkney on Thursday 3 October with events for both local businesses and Orcadians interested in learning with the OU.

Members of the public are invited to the free, drop-in event at Orkney Library, 9.30-12pm, to find out more about the OU’s huge range of free learning resources and how it widens access to education for people in rural and hard to reach areas.

The Upskilling Your Workforce event, 09:30 – 12:30  at the Pickaquoy Centre, will give Orkney’s businesses the chance to discuss their skills needs and hear about some of the practical steps they can take to prepare for future challenges.

With skills shortages already costing Scottish businesses £360 million in the last year and technological change set to transform jobs across all sectors, a skilled workforce has never been more important.

The free event will include case studies, a question and answer session and a roundtable discussion with speakers from the OU, Visit Scotland and further afield. The roadshow team is keen to meet employers of all sizes from Orkney’s public, private and third sectors.

Susan Stewart, director of The Open University in Scotland said:

“This is a chance for employers both to tell us what they need and to find out some of the things they can do to start addressing skills development in their business.

“We’ve got fifty years of experience supporting employers and providing their workforces with the flexible learning they need and, with three-quarters of our current students in work, we’re well-placed to help businesses in Orkney.”

The Upskilling Your Workforce event is one of eight taking place across Scotland, bringing together local employers and experts to discuss a common problem and find ways to improve productivity, morale and retention.

The Upskilling Your Workforce event is free but should be booked in advance here.