Case Study: McInnes Group – Powering Highland Careers in Renewable Energy
8 October 2025
Every DYW partnership is a journey – from the first conversation with a School Coordinator to creating meaningful experiences for young people. For McInnes Group Director, Lachlan McInnes, that journey began when DYW School Coordinator Emma Donald approached the business about introducing local students to careers in renewable energy. Today, this partnership is helping to raise awareness of sustainable trades, combat skills shortages, and create real opportunities for young people to build rewarding careers in the Highlands.
Getting Started
McInnes Group first connected with Developing the Young Workforce through Emma Donald, who invited the business to take part in a careers event at Inverness High School. For Lachlan, it was an easy decision. With a growing demand for renewable heating and plumbing systems across the Highlands, the company wanted to highlight the exciting opportunities available in sustainable energy.
"As a local business, we’re passionate about supporting our community and developing local talent. Working with DYW has allowed us to do both – by opening young people’s eyes to careers that are both practical and future-focused." – Lachlan McInnes
Motivation and Ambition
The McInnes Group team saw the partnership as a chance to tackle a regional challenge: a shortage of skilled tradespeople in green technologies. By engaging with young people early, they aimed to spark interest in plumbing, solar installation, and renewable heating. The business also wanted to strengthen its own workforce pipeline by recruiting up to two apprentices a year while enhancing its reputation as a youth-focused, sustainability-driven employer.
The Project in Action
Through DYWICH, McInnes Group joined a careers event at Inverness High School where they showcased the world of renewable energy trades to pupils in S4–S6. The team demonstrated technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps, answered questions, and shared insight into what a modern apprenticeship looks like in the green energy sector. During the career’s fayre, the business met a student who was offered work experience. He impressed the team so much that he subsequently secured a modern apprenticeship, and is now entering their second year.
Building on this success, McInnes Group has also provided a week-long work experience placement to a student from Charleston Academy who expressed an interest in renewable energy. The placement went so well that this student was also offered a modern apprenticeship with the company.
"It’s incredibly rewarding to see a young person come in for work experience, impress the team, and then step straight into a career they’re excited about," says Lachlan.
Aims and Achievements
The goal was to promote careers in sustainable energy while supporting recruitment needs – and McInnes Group achieved exactly that. The company hired two apprentices and saw another pupil go on to a related training programme. Surveys showed that the vast majority of pupils left the event with a greater interest in green trades, exceeding expectations.
The initiative also helped upskill existing employees who mentored the students, giving them opportunities to develop leadership and coaching skills within the business.
Continuing the Journey
Encouraged by the success of these first collaborations, McInnes Group plans to continue working with DYWICH and local schools, attending annual career events and providing more placements from 2026 onwards.
Testimonial – In Lachlan’s Words
*"Collaborating with DYWICH and Emma Donald has been seamless, connecting us with eager Inverness High School and Charleston Academy students keen to explore renewable energy careers. Continuing this, I aim to cultivate local experts in renewables, retaining talent in the Highlands for business stability. The event delivered a skilled apprentice and fresh perspectives, personally fulfilling as it aligns with my passion for community impact. With DYWICH, McInnes Group is powering not just homes, but Highland careers in sustainable energy."*
