Welcome, Jim Oliver to Powering Futures!
Powering Futures Welcomes Jim Oliver to Champion Skills and Opportunity in the Highlands!
The team at Powering Futures are excited to announce that Jim Oliver has joined the Powering Futures team as a regional advocate based in the Highlands. With deep roots in the community and experience in engineering, sport, and personal development, Jim brings invaluable insight and drive to our mission of helping young people unlock their potential and find fulfilling career paths.
Jim's personal journey reflects many of the values at the heart of Powering Futures. Growing up in the Highlands, he experienced firsthand the challenges of limited career guidance. “As a youngster here in the Highlands, many years ago, the career advice we got in school was very poor,” Jim recalls. “I was interested in civil engineering, but the support to pursue that path just wasn’t there.”
Jim’s early life took him from school into professional football; a path he now recognises might have been better approached with more informed guidance. Eventually, his passion for technical drawing and engineering led him to an apprenticeship as a Structural Engineering Technician and Draughtsman, skills that became the foundation for a successful and varied career.
“Having my early employment defined by what I was good at gave me the basis to move forward from what I was good at to what I wanted to be,” says Jim. “The Powering Futures programme helps young people do just that, identify their strengths and build from them.”
Jim is passionate about making sure the next generation receives the guidance and support they need to make informed choices early on. “Not all kids are academic, but not all jobs require academic skills,” he says. “Many pupils possess practical skills and should be encouraged to follow that pathway. Powering Futures can be a massive step forward in helping young people recognise their potential, wherever it lies.”
In his role, Jim will be working closely with schools, employers, and community stakeholders across the Highlands, acting as a local champion for the Powering Futures programme. His primary focus will be on building meaningful partnerships and generating the income needed to sustain and grow our work, but just as importantly, he’ll be making strong connections with local stakeholders to ensure the programme truly reflects the needs of the region. If you're reading this and believe in creating opportunities for young people in the Highlands, get in touch with Jim
We’re thrilled to have Jim on board as we continue to expand our reach and impact across Scotland. His experience, energy, and commitment to young people will be a real asset as we help young people walk towards their futures in the workplace.
