What DYW (Developing the Young Workforce) Moray does

DYW (Developing the Young Workforce) Moray is a Scottish Government-funded non-profit intermediary established in April 2016 and headquartered at UHI Moray in Elgin, Scotland. It operates as one of 20 regional groups under the national Developing the Young Workforce programme and the Young Person's Guarantee, with a team of approximately 13 staff that includes a Programme Manager, an Apprenticeship Development Manager, and dedicated School Coordinators embedded in every secondary school across the Moray region (eight schools, including Elgin Academy, Elgin High School, Buckie High School, Forres Academy, Keith Grammar School, Lossiemouth High School, Milnes High School, and Speyside High School).

The organisation coordinates meaningful employer-school engagement activities — career fairs, apprenticeship events, mock interviews, CV workshops, workplace visits, work experience placements, and an Employer Recognition Programme — acting as a connector that reduces administrative burden for both educators and employers. Its services are delivered free of charge to all participants, funded by the Scottish Government, and supported operationally by UHI Moray as the host institution. Technology is limited to a standard web platform (dywmoray.co.uk) plus the RubiCRM customer-record system maintained by DYW Scotland; there is no proprietary AI or software product. Employer partners span enterprise names (Walker's Shortbread, Vattenfall, Johnstons of Elgin, Orbex, RAF Lossiemouth, Pitgaveny Farms), mid-market firms (Valu-Trac Investment Management), and local SMBs (Sansum Martial Arts, Wards Veterinary Centre, Elixir Distillers). The 2025 MKA Economics economic impact assessment quantified £1.03m of direct annual impact, a 2:1 cost-benefit ratio, and 73% of surveyed businesses expecting long-term benefits from engagement. Recent strategic moves include the October 2025 launch of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Development Programme (delivered with DP Leadership), the September 2025 appointment of Scott Dunbar (Johnston Carmichael) as Chair, and the formation of a Sustainability Group focused on green careers.

Name

DYW (Developing the Young Workforce) Moray

Legal name

Developing the Young Workforce Moray

Website

https://dywmoray.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DYW Moray is a Scottish Government-funded non-profit intermediary that coordinates employer-school engagement activities across all eight Moray secondary schools, connecting local employers with educators and young people through career fairs, apprenticeships, mock interviews, and work placements, free of charge to participants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Youth workforce development
• Employer engagement services
• Career education programmes
• Apprenticeship support
• School employer liaison

Headquarters

HQ city

Elgin

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: DYW Moray is funded by the Scottish Government as part of the national Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) initiative. The programme is delivered under public task authority, as a key part of the national Young Person's Guarantee, under government priorities and funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DYW Moray is a publicly-funded intermediary that connects local employers with secondary schools across the Moray region of Scotland to support youth workforce development. Its core services include coordinating career fairs, apprenticeship events, work experience placements, mock interviews, CV workshops, and a School Coordinator model embedded in each secondary school, all provided free of charge to employers, educators and young people.

Product overview

DYW Moray is a Scottish Government-funded initiative that operates as a workforce development platform connecting employers with schools and education. The organisation does not offer a unified software product but provides a suite of services including career events and fairs, work experience placements, mock interviews, CV workshops, and a jobs portal. School Coordinators support each secondary school, and programmes include employer recognition awards and structured activities like the Employability Award and Moray First Lego League. The organisation also maintains a Career Stories platform showcasing local career journeys.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career Events and Fairs Career fairs, apprenticeship jobs fairs, and interview skills sessions that connect young people in Moray with local employers and career opportunities.
• Work Experience Placements Facilitated work experience opportunities for young people to gain real-world workplace skills and exposure to different industries.
• Mock Interviews and CV Preparation Structured practice interview sessions and CV writing workshops to help pupils build confidence and prepare for real recruitment processes.
• School Coordinator Services DYW School Coordinators assigned to each secondary school in Moray, leading on employer engagement, planning activities and supporting curriculum links.
• Employer Recognition Programme Monthly awards recognising employers who demonstrate outstanding commitment to developing young people and supporting workforce development in Moray.
• Jobs Portal Online portal listing part-time, full-time jobs and apprenticeship opportunities available in the Moray region for young people.
• Career Stories Platform Collection of testimonials from young people, apprentices, graduates and employees sharing their career journeys and advice to inspire others in Moray.
• Graduate Apprenticeship Information Service Information and guidance on Graduate Apprenticeships — degree programmes completed while working full-time, fully funded and open to all ages.
• Apprenticeship Ambassador Development Programme A year-long programme bringing together apprentices from across Moray to represent their organisations and share their stories through school talks, careers events and workshops, with skills development in confidence, teamwork, communication and leadership delivered by DP Leadership at UHI Moray.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% of employers expect to see greater benefits over the next 1-5 years from DYW Moray engagement
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DP LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025Delivery partner for the Apprenticeship Ambassador Development Programme. Founded by Dave Marshall, providing voluntary leadership workshops on confidence, teamwork, communication, and leadership skills for apprentices.
• UHI MoraycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016DYW Moray is based within UHI Moray (Moray College), which serves as the parent organizational host. UHI Moray provides infrastructure, resources, and administrative support for the DYW Moray team, including office space and operational backing.
• DYW ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDYW Scotland is the national body overseeing the 20 regional DYW groups across Scotland. DYW Moray is one of these regional groups, operating under the national DYW framework and using the RubiCRM system maintained by DYW Scotland.
• Skills Development Scotland (SDS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral and support partner for young people seeking apprenticeships and career guidance. DYW Moray directs young people to SDS services and collaborates on career development initiatives.
• Moray PathwaysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership supporting young people with next steps in education and employment. Collaborative organization providing additional support resources for DYW Moray beneficiaries.
• Career ReadyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational charity that helps students develop skills and confidence for the world of work. DYW Moray collaborates on internship programs and career readiness activities.
• Buckie High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of eight secondary schools in Moray with an embedded DYW School Coordinator. Hosted career fairs, mock interviews, and employer engagement activities.
• Elgin AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondary school with embedded DYW School Coordinator. Delivered Ideal Candidate Programme with CV workshops, interview preparation, and mock interviews for 200 S4 pupils.
• Elgin High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondary school with embedded DYW School Coordinator. Regular career fair host and site for employability sessions and employer engagements.
• Forres AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondary school with embedded DYW School Coordinator. Hosted Languages in Business Assembly and various career engagement activities.
• Keith Grammar SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondary school with DYW School Coordinator support. Regular participant in career fairs and employer engagement programs.
• Lossiemouth High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondary school with DYW School Coordinator support. Hosted Creative Thinking IDL Project with multiple employer and community partners.
• Milnes High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondary school with DYW School Coordinator support. Regular host for career fair events and employer engagement activities.
• Speyside High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondary school with DYW School Coordinator support. Hosted Quality Meat Scotland sessions and career fair events.
• SSEN TransmissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of DYW Moray Sustainability Group, contributing to climate awareness and sustainable careers initiatives for young people.
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development agency involved in DYW Moray Sustainability Group, supporting initiatives around green careers and climate awareness.
• Elixir DistillersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal employer participating in DYW Moray Sustainability Group and supporting sustainability career discussions in schools.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Prince's Trust: Major UK youth employment charity supporting 11-30 year olds into education, training and work through employability programmes. Directly comparable target demographic (young people transitioning to work) and employer-engagement-heavy model.
• Speakers for Schools: UK charity connecting state schools with leading employers through talks, work experience, and insight programmes. Closest UK-wide analogue to the DYW Moray model — employer-school intermediary, free to participants, government-aligned mission.
• Skills Development Scotland (SDS): Scotland's national skills body delivering careers information, advice and guidance, and apprenticeship support. DYW Moray directly refers young people to SDS and collaborates on career development; operates in the same workforce development space with overlapping employer/school engagement.
• Young Enterprise: UK charity delivering enterprise and employability programmes in schools and colleges. Comparable target audience (secondary school pupils), employer-school intermediary model, and charity/non-profit funding structure.
• Moray Pathways: Local Moray partnership supporting young people with next steps in education, training and employment. Active DYW Moray partner offering overlapping regional youth employability services in the same geographic catchment.
• Career Ready: UK charity helping students from less-advantaged backgrounds develop skills and confidence for the world of work through internships and mentoring. Listed DYW Moray partner with directly overlapping school-to-work transition mission and employer engagement activities.
• Inspiring the Future (Education and Employers Taskforce): UK charity that connects schools with volunteers from the world of work through an online platform. Operates the same employer-school volunteer engagement model that DYW Moray delivers regionally in Moray.
• DYW Scotland: National umbrella body overseeing the 20 regional DYW groups including DYW Moray. Operates the same employer-education intermediary model at national scale, provides RubiCRM and shared services, and is the direct parent framework for DYW Moray.

Broad incumbents

• Barnardo's: One of the UK's largest children's charities with specific employability and training programmes for young people. Comparable mission and charity funding model, but operates as a large incumbent across many social-issue verticals rather than a regional workforce development specialist.
• Movement to Work: UK-wide employer-led initiative tackling youth unemployment through pre-employment training and job opportunities. Broader in geographic scope than DYW Moray but operates in the same youth-employment intermediation space with corporate employer partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DYWMoray
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dyw-moray

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DYW (Developing the Young Workforce) Moray