Shetland and Norway’s ERASMUS Plus Exchange Begins

This weekend will see five Shetland College students in the care, construction and computing sectors embark on a month long work placement in Voss, Norway, while six students from Vidaregaande Skule in Voss arrive in Shetland.

Shetland College UHI has secured 45,696 Euros in grant funding from ERASMUS+ to fund reciprocal exchange projects for young people between Shetland and Voss, as part of a new Learning Mobility programme over the next 24 months.   The students involved in this current visit will gain vital work experience as well as learning about each other’s cultures.  Another exchange is planned for spring 2020. 

Shetland College UHI has been running programmes with the Voss community since 2011, with students in fully funded work placements.  Over the next four weeks, the six students from Voss will be placed at local electrical and ICT companies in Shetland. The five local students who are travelling to Voss are Jack Meadows, Josh Laing and Magnus Williamson from construction, Mary Work from computing and Courtney Robertson from health and care. Jack, Josh and Magnus will be placed in construction companies in Voss while Mary is doing an ICT placement at a school and Courtney will work in childcare.

Jack (18) a construction student at Shetland College UHI said “As soon as I saw I had the opportunity to travel to Norway with a group of fellow students, I knew I had to jump at the ‘once in a lifetime journey’, a chance to see a new country with different cultures, work and schooling prospects. I know I will get a lot out of this experience and will learn and new construction skills.” 

Mary (18) who studies NQ Interactive Digital Media and Computing at the college described the project as “a great opportunity to experience something different in a country I already love”.

The students have set up an online blog to record their experiences, which you can find via the Shetland College UHI website here:  https://shetlandtovoss2019.home.blog/ 

Anthony Mcleod, Senior Lecturer in Construction said: “The Shetland construction industry has close links to Norwegian house styles; this programme allows our students to experience first-hand how the home building technologies are being developed in Norway, enhancing their apprenticeship with additional skills and knowledge.”

Further information:

E – leanne.gear@uhi.ac.uk or lewie.peterson@shetland.gov.uk 

T – 01595 771206 or 01595 744012