Students at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic College on the Isle of Skye are being given the opportunity to practice their new found skills in communities throughout Scotland. For three weeks of the year students at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig head off to develop their language skills and gain practical experience in a field of their choice. Placements vary from primary schools to Television and Radio companies or any situation where they can speak and hear Gaelic. The work placement scheme has always been a part of full-time courses, and lecturer & placement organiser Ian Graham sees it as being of great benefit, "Not only do the students prove to be good ambassadors for the College, but the scheme enables us to keep strengthening our links with local communities"
Greg Thomson a student on the Gaelic Immersion Course from Old Kilpatrick in Glasgow spent his placement with the Countryside Ranger service in North Uist, "I really enjoyed my placement. I think it's a very useful and enjoyable scheme that enables you to find out a bit more about what you want to do. I'd never done anything like it before and it was also the first time I'd been to North Uist. Not one day was the same as the next and I learned a lot from the whole experience".
James MacLetchie, the Countryside Ranger who supervised Greg also sees the rewards, "The placement was beneficial for everyone involved. It was good for Greg to be able to meet people from the local community and speak to them in their native language (which they also enjoyed) and he assisted me with Gaelic-related work such as translation of educational materials. We hope to develop these links with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in future years."
For further information on the placement scheme and courses currently on offer at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, please contact
Ian Graham
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Sleat
Isle of Skye
IV44 8RQ
Tel: 01471 888 000
Fax: 01471 888 001
Email: trusadh@groupwise.uhi.ac.uk