New opportunities for Gaelic speaking students

“Organizations in Lewis”

Gaelic-speaking students will get the opportunity to work with businesses and organisations throughout Scotland under a Comunn na Gàidhlig scheme which was launched today.

Comunn na Gàidhlig announced today that up to 20 students would get placements on its 2010 students summer placement scheme.

The Scheme gives Gaelic-speaking students the opportunity to work with organisations engaged in Gaelic and community development activity.

As well as valuable career experience, the Scheme also provides students with employment for ten weeks during the summer months.

The Scheme gives students the chance to gain experience through working in an environment where they will hear Gaelic spoken and are enabled to speak and use it.

As well as the obvious benefits to the students, the Scheme can also be of great benefit to employers who are able to take advantage of the students’ skills to the benefit of their organisation.

“Highlands and Islands”

In 2009, 30 students secured placements all across Scotland with organizations in Lewis, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Skye, Islay, Tiree, Inverness and Glasgow.

Donald MacNeil, Chief Executive of CnaG, said,

“It is evident that we must do as much as we can to encourage and give confidence to young people to use Gàidhlig and also enable them to understand that fluency in Gaelic a valuable skill in today’s jobs market. There are an increasing number of employment opportunities where fluency in Gaelic is required.”

Alasdair MacLeod of Highlands and Islands Enterprise commented,

“We are delighted to continue supporting this Scheme because it is very clear to us just how important the Gaelic language is to our area’s economy. This highly successful Scheme is a crucial element in adding to the benefits the language provides the area. Future prosperous heads of business may well get their first experience of the workplace through this Scheme.”

” Excellent opportunities”

David Boag, Leasaiche Cànain, Bòrd na Gàidhlig said,

“This scheme has been very successful in the past eight years, with great demand both from the students themselves and also the organizations who participate in it. In trying to create a new generation of Gaelic-speakers, initiatives and opportunities like this are vital in highlighting to people that there are many excellent opportunities out there for them to make their livelihoods if they have Gaelic.”

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