Three members of the Developing the Young Workforce Inverness and Central Highland (DYWICH) Advisory Board have recently been recognised with prestigious awards, reflecting the exceptional calibre of the people helping to shape our work.

Our Advisory Board members were celebrated through wins in the recent Highland Business Awards organised by Inverness Chamber of Commerce and Prosper Awards, both held in Inverness in September. David Masey, Managing Director of WePurpose won The Highland Business Awards Employer of the Year category whilst Mia Keith Communities and Social Impact Coordinator at Morrison Construction  won the Young Employee of the Year Award. Laura Dobinson, who represents the care sector on our Advisory Board won the Prosper Workforce North Award for Innovative Approaches to Talent Attraction and Development.

DYWICH Advisory Board Chair, Gavin Ross of SGL Carbon said:

“We are delighted that three of our members have been recognised for their calibre in these prestigious awards. The achievements show that our Advisory Board does more than discuss ideas: its members are leaders in business within their sectors, putting innovative approaches into practice and making a real difference for young people and employers in their work as Advisory Board members.”

Commenting on her success and reflecting on how this relates to her work on the DYW ICH Advisory Board, Laura said:

“It was a huge surprise to be selected as a finalist in the Workforce North Award category, so to win the award on the night, alongside such strong competition, was quite a shock. But winning this award isn’t about one person, or Scottish Care alone. It reflects the willingness and dedication of the care providers across the Highlands, to talent attraction and development, and  I have the privilege of working alongside them every day.

Collaboration with partners, including DYWICH has been instrumental in helping us develop careers activity that attracts new talent into the adult social care sector. As an Advisory Board member with DYW Inverness & Central Highland, I’m able to bring employer insight into the DYW programme, help shape future careers activity, and address the challenges employers may face when engaging with young people.”

A long-time supporter of DYW, David Massey explained that receiving the award was far more than just a personal achievement and why he feels it’s important to “walk the walk” and get involved:

“WePurpose has supported young people with barriers of entering the workforce start a career in the IT sector for 10 years. 23 young people have been supported from this background into careers so winning the Employer of the Year in the Highland Business Awards means so much to me as the founder. Young people have so much to offer the workforce, they simply need to be given the opportunity so we believe that employers should consider different recruitment strategies. Sitting on the DYW Advisory Board allows me to work with other likeminded people to be advocate for young people and support other employers”

As winner of the Young Employee of the Year, Mia Keith highlights how important young people are to the success of any business and to the area’s growth. Having  a strong  voice for young people on the DYW Advisory Board is crucial to shaping a strategy which is in touch and relevant. Mia said:

 “Winning the Young Employee of the Year award at the Highland Business Awards 2026 is incredible and means a great deal to me. It reflects the support of the people I’ve worked with and the passion I have for creating positive opportunities for others and also the people who have encouraged, supported and challenged me along the way. Being part of the Developing the Young Workforce Advisory Board as a young person allows me to help shape pathways for other young people, and I do it because I want them to feel inspired, supported and confident about their future”.

Share your sector insight

To ensure our plans remain relevant and responsive, we invite business people across the Inverness and Central Highland area to speak with our Advisory Board members and share their knowledge and experience of what is happening in their sectors. Your insight into emerging opportunities, skills needs and challenges will help the Advisory Board develop forward-looking strategies that give young people the best possible preparation for the world of work. If you would like to contribute to the conversation, please get in touch with a DYW Advisory Board member.

Contact us | DYW – Inverness & Central Highland to find out more about what we do and to find detail of all our Board Members. Together, we can connect education and employers and create stronger pathways for our young people