Delivered by DYW Fife in partnership with employers, training providers and employability organisations, the programme brought together a diverse range of sectors and experiences to help young people build essential skills and gain valuable insight into the world of work. 

Participating schools included:

• Madras College
• Waid Academy
• Lochgelly High School
• Inverkeithing High School
• Beath High School
• Viewforth High School
• St Andrews RC High School 

Bringing Employers and Young People Together

The programme featured support from a wide range of employers and partners, including:

• DYW Fife Modern Apprentices
• Link Living
• Babcock
• Skills Development Scotland
• British Army
• Salvation Army
• Fife College
• Fife Council Employability Team
• YouthVIP
• Active Schools
• Local employers through individual school partnerships

Additional employer engagement activities were delivered by local partners including representatives from Newport Bakery, Craigtoun Country Park, The Old Course Hotel and Dory Bistro, helping ensure young people were exposed to a broad range of sectors and career opportunities. 

Each organisation played a key role in sharing career journeys, providing workplace insight and helping participants better understand the skills, qualifications and attributes employers value. 

Developing Skills for Life and Work

Throughout the programme, learners participated in a variety of engaging workshops and activities designed to strengthen employability and life skills.

Sessions included:

• Team building activities
• Communication and confidence-building workshops
• Problem-solving challenges
• Cooking on a budget
• Volunteering opportunities
• CV development
• Interview preparation
• Dress for success sessions
• Career talks
• Sector-specific employer workshops

Employers and partners also shared personal career journeys and facilitated discussions about different routes into employment, apprenticeships, further education and training.

The hands-on and interactive approach encouraged young people to actively participate, ask questions and develop a clearer understanding of the opportunities available within their local area.

Building Confidence Through Employer Engagement

A key objective of Let’s Go Fife was to help young people feel more confident about their future.

By engaging directly with employers and industry professionals, learners were able to gain insight into workplace expectations while developing communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. The programme created a supportive environment where participants could build confidence, explore different career options and begin to consider realistic progression pathways.

The variety of sectors represented, from engineering and digital industries to hospitality, public services, sport and employability services, ensured participants were exposed to a wide range of opportunities that they may not otherwise have considered. 

What Participants and Partners Said

Feedback from both young people and programme partners highlighted the positive impact of the experience.

One participant said:

“Working with other people I don’t work with usually.” 

Another learner reflected on the value of employer involvement:

“I liked when the Army came in and told us all about the roles in the Army and the stuff they do.” 

YouthVIP commented:

“The interaction, after all it’s about their future and what can be done to help support getting them there, wherever that may be.”

Helen from Fife Council Employability added:

“The sessions provided a positive, hands-on experience where participants developed key skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and resilience, and it was great to see their confidence grow.”

Strong Partnership Working

One of the programme’s most successful outcomes was the collaboration between schools, employers and partner organisations.

Several schools enriched the programme by introducing their own local employer links, helping to expand the breadth of opportunities available to young people. This collaborative approach increased exposure to different industries and ensured participants benefited from a wide range of experiences and perspectives.

The programme demonstrated the effectiveness of partnership working in creating meaningful employer engagement opportunities and supporting young people to make informed decisions about their future pathways.

Impact and Outcomes

Let’s Go Fife 2026 delivered a range of positive outcomes for participating learners, including:

• Increased confidence and self-belief.
• Stronger communication and teamwork skills.
• Enhanced employability and interview skills.
• Greater awareness of local career opportunities.
• Improved understanding of workplace expectations.
• Meaningful engagement with employers and industry professionals.
• Increased awareness of further education, training and employment pathways.

In recognition of their commitment and achievements, participants who completed the programme received a Personal Development Award, providing further evidence of their skills and experiences as they move towards future education, training or employment opportunities.

Let’s Go Fife continues to demonstrate the positive impact that meaningful employer engagement, skills development and partnership working can have in supporting young people to achieve positive destinations and build successful futures.