Beyond the classroom: How Shetland is keeping young talent at home

What does it take to keep young people from leaving their homes in the islands? For Shetland, part of the answer is reimagining education itself.

A groundbreaking schools collaboration program now allows senior students to try their hands at vocational courses while still at school, and their approach has just earned national recognition.

At Shetland UHI, some young people master welding techniques while others explore early years education. Students split their time between traditional school subjects and hands-on college courses designed around real career opportunities.

This isn't just another school programme but a lifeline that's keeping talented young people in Shetland while preparing them for meaningful careers.

Personal approach pays off

Jane Lewis, Principal of Shetland UHI, has watched this transformation unfold firsthand. The college's approach stems from something unique to Shetland: education that feels genuinely personal and community-focused. Rather than pushing students toward distant opportunities, the programme creates routes that lead directly to local careers. With such diverse and successful industries in the islands, there are many rewarding opportunities.

The philosophy has just earned national recognition, with Shetland UHI receiving a Silver Pearson National Teaching Award for its senior phase schools collaboration. The numbers tell their own story: what began with 13 students has exploded into a program serving 110 young people, growth that Jane credits to persistent refinement and genuine collaboration.

Breaking the mould

S5 and S6 students can now split their time between traditional academic subjects and hands-on college courses designed to meet the needs of Shetland's job market. Engineering and construction sit alongside health and early years education, each pathway carefully crafted to match local employer needs.

For student Eloise March, the childcare pathway became a journey of discovery. Initially drawn to a Skills for Work course as "a good way to get a feel for what it is like studying at the college," she progressed from classroom-based learning to a foundation apprenticeship in real nursery settings. She says: "The course helped me to learn that I am more creative, and that I enjoy planning craft and creative activities for the setting”.

Jimmy White's experience on the NPA construction course tells a similar story. Already knowing he wanted to enter a trade, he used the programme to explore what that would mean. The course mixed classroom theory with hands-on construction projects. "Building the wall kits was good fun because it all goes together so quickly and you can see all the progress so much faster," he explains.

What sets the programme apart is its embedded work experience. Local employers (over 70 of them) have become active partners, offering apprenticeship opportunities and graduate-level training.

Reaching beyond expectations

The college environment proves transformative for many students. Jane observes: "Some children, schools just don't work great for them. Getting out into a college environment, they think, 'Oh yeah, this is definitely where I belong'."

Both Eloise and Jimmy experienced this shift. As Eloise says, "In the college, you are treated as more of an adult and you are responsible for yourself and your own work." Smaller class sizes also mean more one-to-one support from lecturers.

Jimmy adds: "Being at college was a lot more fun than being at school mainly because it was more laid back and you weren't just stuck staring at a whiteboard for hours on end."

The confidence building proved transformative. Eloise's greatest achievement was watching her self-belief grow through encouragement from lecturers and fellow students. Jimmy feels pleased with the progress he has made in construction, citing "building up a whole kit by myself" as one of his proudest moments.

Their progression speaks to the strength of the approach. Eloise moved from skills for work to a foundation apprenticeship, then to NQ childhood practice, and now to HNC childcare. Jimmy's journey was more direct, from college course to apprenticeship to employment with a local construction company.

A model worth celebrating

The national award provides valuable external validation for an approach that emerged organically from Shetland's unique circumstances. Since Covid, Jane has encountered more young people who weren't ready to leave the islands, and wanted to do as much as possible to support them.

The programme's success reflects something deeper about Shetland's educational philosophy. Even at the higher education level, learning remains personal and community-centred. As Jane puts it: "Growing your own is very much part of Shetland culture. And this supports that."

For families considering Shetland, the approach represents genuine choice. Both students embody this possibility. Eloise's advice to other students is unequivocal: "I think it's a good way to test the waters of different career paths and jobs before leaving school."

Jimmy's perspective is equally encouraging: "I would definitely say that in Shetland, if you wanted to try to do something, it's very obtainable. If you don't try, then you don't get."

The college's award-winning journey tells a larger story about what becomes possible when education truly serves its community. In an era of increasing educational standardisation, Shetland offers a strong alternative, one where personal relationships and local relevance create opportunities that work for everyone involved.