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Seminar to provide better direction for Gaelic careers        29/11/11

Ensuring coordinated action towards the more efficient operation of the Gaelic labour market was the focus of attention at a special seminar held in Inverness today.

There are currently hundreds of jobs within the Gaelic economy, in a wide range of sectors, from broadcasting to education, public services to the creative industries. However employers still face real challenges finding staff with the right combination of language and job skills; and young people can find it hard to get sufficient advice and support from careers and employment agencies.

These are the topics to be considered by representatives from across the Gaelic, education and learning and skills sectors at the event organised by Comunn na Gàidhlig (CnaG).

The most recent research into the Gaelic labour market, in 2008, estimated there were some 735 ‘Gaelic essential’ jobs in Scotland, with a further 440 being classified as ‘Gaelic desirable’. 65% of these are in the Highlands and Western Isles, with the remaining 35% being spread across the rest of the country.

However it also identified a need for more consistent data-gathering in order to have access to up-to-date statistics in future.

This report also highlighted a need for further language training for Gaelic speakers and more co-ordinated activity by agencies involved in labour market, and has been the springboard behind the organisation of the seminar.