Apprentices in Caithness gain motoring advice through 'Driving Ambitions' course

Wednesday 10th November saw the concluding part of the 2024 Driving Ambitions North event at the t3|UK campus Janetstown, Thurso.

The morning event saw 57 engineering apprentices from JGC, Vulcan, Nuvia, DSRL, JCL, Babcock and Calder Engineering take part in the multi-agency road safety event which is organised by Northern Constabulary.

Driving Ambitions focuses the young drivers on a many elements of road safety with the aim of encouraging them be safe and responsible learners, drivers and passengers. It is an informative and interactive road show with inputs from HIFRS, Northern Constabulary, Red Cross, Highland Council, and for this event the Institute of Advanced Motoring also delivered to the young drivers.

Each Driving Ambitions session begins with the screening of Northern Constabulary's Just Another Day DVD, featuring Donald Geddes from Ullapool in which he tells his story of how, following a high speed crash, he was left blind in one eye, partially sighted in the other and forced to live with a host of other medical conditions as a result.

The other sets included:
• Institute of Advanced Motoring – information on how to increase driving skills, improve driving standards, to feel more confident and be safer on the road.
• Under The Bonnet – demonstration as to how to changing a tyre, check tyre pressure, check windscreen wipers and wash as well as information on how to check oil levels.
• Enforcement - Northern Constabulary inform of the legalities of driving and modifications and the consequences should they commit an offence.
• Red Cross - input on the first responder scheme, airway maintenance and basic first aid for the first person on scene.
• Road Safety - an interactive set with a hazard perception game and general information on young drivers and speed limits.
• Fire & Rescue – explain their role at the scene of an accident and the equipment that they use and also advise as to what others who arrive at the scene could do to assist.

For the last set all the pupils come together to watch the next chapter of Donald Geddes' DVD which shows the long term impact the crash has had on his life and how he has managed this, showing young people the long term implications that a collision can have.

The popular multi-agency programme has been running since 2024 and is facilitated locally throughout the Highlands. The Driving Ambitions North event was previously delivered to S6 students in September 2024 & 2024 from Thurso, Farr, Wick, Golspie, Dornoch, Kinlochbervie and Tain secondary schools.

This apprentices event was supported greatly by Rolls-Royce Vulcan by the provision of Highway Code books which were given to each of the days attendees along with additional road safety leaflets relevant to young drivers and also by t3|UK, (a division of JGC Engineering and Technical Services), who provided the venue for the event and fantastic support to all the attending agencies before and during the event.

Enormous thanks goes out to all the agencies and Councillors Deirdre Mackay and Lady Marion Thurso for their continued support in the Driving Ambitions North event, and to all the young drivers who have taken part in the event, providing the interest and enthusiasm to all the sets. Further thanks are extended to the North Highland College, and the apprentices employers for enabling the event to be delivered the engineering apprentices.