A group of young Polish immigrants in Inverness has started a programme to get more of their colleagues into professional jobs more suited to their qualifications.
And the scheme is now attracting the attention of other Polish immigrants throughout Scotland.
According to the Polish Scottish Union in Highland, 55% of Polish immigrants are working in jobs well below their academic qualifications, because they do not know the specialised English vocab- ulary that would be required for them to practice their professions.
The problem is widespread, ranging from specialised tradesmen and women such as welders, to lawyers and doctors.
Aldona Fryc-Danielewska, from the union, said they had reached an agreement with the Workers Education Association, to start a course in June. She said: “We estimate that around 55% of the Polish people in and around Inverness have higher education qualifications, but they can’t find appropriate work because they cannot speak the specialised English required.
“You can understand that this would be vital in the medical profession where they are responsible for people’s lives.
“But it also affects trades such as plumbers, carpenters and welders, where they do not have the right vocabulary. The association has agreed to start a course in the Spectrum Centre in Inverness on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.”
She said that they had identified some teachers, but they needed more. “One of the teachers is a midwife who has teaching experience, but we need people who could teach physiotherapists, other nurses, lawyers, accountants and trades-people.
“There are some with technical qualifications who are working in a fish factory because they do not have the specialised English they require to do the job for which they are qualified.
“The main problem with medical English is pronunciation, but with the technical language we might have to find Polish speakers who are also good English speakers,” she said.
The initiative is also attracting interest from Glasgow and Edinburgh.