Proud hosts of the Developing Young Workforce Conference 2026
DYW delegates in the Marble Hall
On Friday 26 June, Mount Stuart was delighted to welcome more than 90 delegates for the Developing Young Workforce (DYW) Argyll & Bute Conference 2026.
Themed A DYW Decade: Working Together to Create Sustainable Opportunities for Young People in Argyll & Bute 2026–2036, the event brought together educators, employers, national organisations and workforce professionals to explore how collaboration can help young people build the skills, confidence and opportunities needed for the future.
Representatives from across Argyll & Bute attended, including Education Scotland, Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Argyll and Bute Council and local employers. The conference marked ten years of Developing the Young Workforce and looked ahead to the next decade of supporting positive outcomes for young people across the region.
The day began with remarks from Elma Murray CBE, Depute Chair of DYW Scotland and Chair of Young Scot, followed by pupils from Rothesay Joint Campus sharing their experiences of DYW in action. Delegates also heard from Klaus Mayer of Education Scotland on the relationship between education and employment, the future of skills-focused learning, and from ScottishPower Renewables on opportunities within the sector.
After lunch, delegates took part in interactive workshops exploring topics including the DYW Argyll & Bute Skills Survey, Foundation Apprenticeships, labour market trends, Argyll’s growing blue economy and community-led approaches to supporting young people.
The conference highlighted the importance of partnership between schools, employers, communities and national organisations in creating meaningful pathways into employment.
It was wonderful to see Mount Stuart filled with conversation and collaboration throughout the day. We thank DYW Argyll & Bute for choosing Mount Stuart as the setting for this inspiring event.