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Apply soon – programme completes in February 2026
Is there an aspect of your business that’d be more efficient if you digitised, automated or introduced a new technology process? Maybe it’s moving records online, developing digital services, or introducing new software or hardware to streamline your processes.
Our technology placement programme offers enterprises of any size in the Highland Council area the opportunity to take on a graduate or student placement - and we’ll fund up to 70% of their salary.
If you know just the project, but are struggling to find the skills or hours from within your current workforce, our Technology Placement Programme can help.
As we enter the final year of the programme, please apply soon to make the most of the opportunity. All placements – graduate or student - must complete by the end of February 2026.
Our graduate placement offers up to 12 months with a salary of between £23,250 (minimum) to £30,250 (maximum). We can discuss a reduced funding period if you wish to appoint after February 2025.
A student placement would typically last up to 12 weeks, although that's flexible, with a salary at least the Real Living Wage. You’ll have until October 2025 to apply for this.
The programme aims to help businesses keep up with the pace of technological change and accelerate growth through innovating how you do things.
By employing a graduate or student, you will have the opportunity to:
You'll also help create vital job opportunities and support our young workforce across the Highland Council area.
This programme is open to enterprises of any size based within the Highland Council area.
We can help you scope a project-based placement, work out a person spec, and help you find the fresh skills and thinking you need.
If you would like more information or if you have a placement opportunity, please apply here.
Where we have placements available we'll advertise them below. Keep an eye on our social media platforms too.
Vacancies will be displayed below when available.
Graduate vacancy with Highlands + Islands Adventures for a graduate app and software developer. Apply by Friday 10 January 2025.
You’re eligible to apply for any of our graduate placements if you’ve graduated with an HNC, HND, undergraduate or postgraduate degree within the past four years. There is no age restriction. Each placement has specific requirements so please read the individual job description carefully before applying.
Student placements usually take place over the summer. You’re eligible to apply if you’re currently in academic studies or if you'll be returning to academic studies after the summer holidays. You must have completed at least a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or equivalent.
All international students are eligible to apply. Sponsorship may be considered for the right candidate, but this decision is at the discretion of each employer and is not managed by the Technology Placement Programme.
It is essential that you are fluent in written and spoken English and that you are compliant with UK Visa and Immigration requirements. We do not offer VISA advice.
Highland News & Media enrol student Molly Thompson for 12 weeks through the Technology Placement Programme.
Campbell’s of Beauly hosted a student placement during summer 2023, with funding support from the Northern Innovation Hub’s (NIH) Technology Placement Programme.
DP Digital Media took advantage of our Technology Placement Programme to bring new thinking into their business.
4c Engineering has hosted several placements over the past five years – most recently, a 12-week student placement during summer 2023 with help from HIE's Technology Placement Programme.
How our 50% funded Technology Placement Programme has rapidly accelerated product development for Pure Water International
In this episode, Terry Stebbings from Proterra Energy and Peter MacDonald from MacDonald Project Solutions, both engineering businesses.
Craig chats to Peter and Terry about how they brought new talent into their businesses through a subsidised 12-week work placement during 2020 and 2021. Find out what made them decide to take on a student and how the projects delivered during the placements gave their businesses a real boost.
In this episode Craig speaks to David Maclennan, director of Pure Water International (PWI). David hired two University of Strathclyde graduates to test and develop a prototype created by the company to remove chemicals, medication, plastic fibres, and polluted substances from water.
Hear from David about how, after only six months in post, the graduates have already demonstrated an incredible ability to design, draw and prototype a new water purification solution, speeding up time to market by 18 months.
David and Craig discuss how the benefit of technology placements goes both ways: the business benefits from fresh thinking and new skills at a reduced cost; and the graduates get to work on a wide variety of tasks and have more input than they would in a typical graduate scheme. They agree that having no previous industry experience can even be a bonus, as Orrin and Scott (the graduates) came with no preconceived ideas.
Hear from business owners across the Highlands and Islands who have employed graduates and students through our Technology Placement Programme. This podcast series is hosted by Craig Steele, a computer scientist, published author, and creative technologist who loves nothing more than talking about anything digital or techy.
The Technology Placement programme is part of the Northern Innovation Hub which is funded by the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal and the European Regional Development Fund.
Any organisation applying for grant funding from HIE must comply with our fair work conditions for financial support. This includes:
* The Real Living Wage increased from £12 per hour to £12.60 per hour on 23 October 2024. Employers have 6 months, until 01 May 2025, to implement the increase.
If you would like to speak to someone about the fair work requirement, or need more information, please email enquiries@hient.co.uk.
Technology Placements is a support programme delivered through the Northern Innovation Hub, designed to build on and accelerate business innovation.
It is funded through the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal - a joint initiative supported by £315m investment from the UK and Scottish governments, The Highland Council, HIE and University of the Highlands and Islands. This programme also receives financial support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Innovation strategic intervention.
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