DYW Argyll & Bute: Opening Doors for Young People Across the Region

For young people, the impact is transformative. DYW creates pathways that help pupils explore real-world career options long before they leave school. They coordinate work experience programmes that allow young people to try out different industries, gain practical skills, and build relati onships with potential future employers. Many of these placements lead directly to apprenticeships, trainee positi ons or full-time job offers, giving young people a strong start close to home.

DYW Argyll & Bute also provides tailored support to ensure that opportunities are accessible to all. This includes helping young people develop employability skills such as CV writing, interview preparation, workplace behaviours, and teamwork. By building these foundations early, DYW helps young people feel ready, capable, and confident as they transition into work.

Employers who engage with DYW benefit as well. By opening their doors to young people, they help grow a skilled and enthusiastic workforce rooted in the community. Many businesses involved with DYW report long-term recruitment benefits and increased staff  retention, as young employees who start early often grow with the organisation.

Through collaboration, commitment, and a shared belief in the potenti al of Argyll & Bute’s young people, DYW continues to make a meaningful difference - one placement, one apprenticeship, and one success story at a time.

Eilidh Polland – A Young Talent Thriving in the Local Motor Trade

Eilidh Polland’s journey began in S4 when she took on a work-experience placement at a local car mechanics business, supported by DYW Argyll & Bute. What started as a short placement quickly turned into something much bigger.

Eilidh impressed the team from the outset with her willingness to learn, practical ability, and strong work ethic. The garage owner recognised her potential and offered her a permanent position, allowing her to train on the job. One year later, she is thriving.

As a trainee mechanic, Eilidh is handson with every aspect of the workshop. She assists with welding, vehicle servicing, brake repairs, electrics and more, while also learning to use specialist tools, garage machinery and diagnostic systems. Her skills have grown rapidly - and so has her confidence.

This opportunity hasn’t just helped Eilidh develop professionally; it has helped her grow as a person. She has become more self-assured, more vocal within the team, and more comfortable taking on responsibilities independently. The trust placed in her and the encouragement from her colleagues have given her a real sense of belief in her abilities.

Working in a traditionally male dominated environment hasn’t fazed her - if anything, she is shining even brighter.

Eildih’s boss, Robert told us: “Eilidh is our first female apprentice, and from the moment she came in on her one-day-a-week work-experience placement, she was keen as mustard. Her enthusiasm was the first thing that stood out - even when the workshop is cold in the winter months, she never loses that drive. We have since taken her on as a full-time apprentice and she’s doing brilliantly.

Eilidh att ends College every Tuesday, focusing on the mechanics side of her training, and brings everything she learns straight back into the workshop. Our team is five in total, and it’s really important everyone fits in well. Eilidh settled in quickly and works great alongside the rest of the team.

As a fi rst-year apprenti ce, she’s already assisti ng with MOT repairs, fitting discs and pads, replacing ball joints, and helping with MOT tests. She absolutely loves welding too - that’s one of the things she’s really taken to. Altogether she’s been with us about a year now, including her time on placement, and the progress she’s made in that time has been fantastic.”

Eilidh is a fantastic example of what happens when young people are given the opportunity to explore a career they love, and her success highlights the power of employer engagement through DYW Argyll & Bute

To pledge your support to a young person in your area, get in touch with the DYW Argyll & Bute Team

01546 604119

dyw@argyll-bute.gov.uk

www.dyw.scot/