Graduate Placements: A Tool To Tackle Depopulation
Depopulation is a significant issue for many parts of rural Scotland. At our recent Rural SEN event hosted on 17th September 2024, we focused on the challenges of depopulation in rural areas (Read the notes from the Rural SEN Tackling Depopulation here). The event sparked valuable discussions on developing strategies and tools to address this issue, aimed at supporting and revitalising rural communities.
One of the ideas that came from the discussions highlighted the importance of how graduate placement programs can be used as a tool to help tackle depopulation in the rural communities. The UK, being home to world-renowned universities, is also giving rise to a large number of graduates to the country, many of them being international student graduates. Migration Policy Scotland’s recently published research report ‘Open The Door’ points out the challenges migrants face in everyday life. Migrants experience poverty at twice the national average and many of the international students often struggle to find jobs that match their qualifications and experience.
There is clearly a shortage of talent in the rural areas, especially in the third sector. On the other hand, there are numerous international students looking for work who are also ready to move to rural areas. By filling these gaps, organisations can address depopulation, make use of talented resources, and provide international students with better opportunities.
This case study will explore how some graduate placements in the third sector helped graduates move to rural Scotland and how these experiences benefited them.
Hal Walsh – Affordable Warmth Advisor
My name is Hal, I am a graduate placement at ALIenergy. I studied Product Design at The University of Dundee and always had a strong interest in energy efficiency and low carbon technology. After graduating during the pandemic, I worked at Venture Scotland, a charity that provides outdoor programmes to disadvantaged young people in Edinburgh. While working at this charity I gained valuable experience working in the third sector and an understanding of the transformational work that charities do.
I am a keen outdoors person and originally moved to Oban for the superb kayaking, biking and hill walking. When this graduate placement came up it was a perfect match for my skills and interests. Having grown up in a rural part of Cumbria the move away from the city and back into a nature rich rural area was a no brainer. I feel right at home here.
I have been at ALIenergy for 6 months and have learnt so much about the inequality that people in rural areas face, especially with regards to heating their homes. It gives me great satisfaction to provide support to these people and raise awareness of the issues they face. Through this work I have also discovered the huge range of other third sector organisations in Argyll and Bute that provide invaluable services to local people. Collaborating with these organisations has been a highlight of my work so far.
Part of my role here at ALIenergy is as an education officer. We aim to reduce rural depopulation by show casing the excellent career opportunities for local people with STEM skills as well as building those skills through workshops, STEM festivals and our STEM workbook. Graduate placements have a key role to play in enticing recent graduates to these areas, supporting the local economy. There are so many industries in Argyll and Bute crying out for a skilled workforce. Having graduated at the height of the pandemic, I understand the struggles that graduates can face finding skilled work. Connecting graduates to jobs in rural areas is part of the solution to help rural economies, graduate employment rates and reduce rural depopulation.
Sam Jabir – Rural Social Enterprise Digital Co-ordinator
I moved from India to the UK in 2022 for education and completed a Master of Arts in Intercultural Business Communication from the University of Central Lancashire in 2023. Finding a part-time job to support myself while studying was a really hard journey. I worked in warehouses, supermarkets, and local pubs while attending the university to stay afloat.
After graduating, I began searching for full-time jobs that matched my qualifications and past work experience, and that’s how I found the job advert for Rural Social Enterprise Co-ordinator. I had a discussion with Aimee and Ailsa of InspirAlba about the job, and they asked me if I was okay with moving to Campbeltown. I looked up Campbeltown on the internet and I did not have to think twice. Since I had already travelled a long distance to get to this country, I didn’t mind moving further.
Saying yes to this opportunity has opened doors to the vast world of the third sector that I didn’t know existed. This role has provided me with valuable learning experiences throughout my journey so far. I am truly grateful for this opportunity, as it has allowed me to explore rural areas of Scotland and meet incredible people from various communities and social enterprises dedicated to making a difference. I also gained insights into the real challenges that communities face and how social enterprises work together in collaboration to tackle these issues.
I believe the lessons I’ve learned here will be extremely helpful for my career and in my everyday life. As someone who has struggled with social anxiety, this role has also helped me overcome my challenges by giving me more opportunities to work and engage with other people.
I know that ‘rural’ is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, I also know that many people who live in cities, mostly international students, are struggling because of jobs that do not match their degree or skill set, which frequently leads to issues with their mental health. On the other hand, there are organisations in the rural areas who are looking for people to fill the jobs. I think there needs to be a bridge to connect these gaps, so that it’s a win-win for the graduates and the rural economy.
If you are on a graduate placement programme with an organisation in rural Scotland, or if you are an organisation offering graduate placements and would like to share your story, please contact us at samurath@inspiralba.org.uk.