Education

This sector is one of the biggest Gaelic employers, with jobs available from pre-school to higher education. You can teach Gaelic or in Gaelic in any number of roles in a playgroup, nursery, primary school, high school, college, university, conversational group or night class: teaching and learning are where lifelong rewards await. Gaelic education is continuing to expand and with it job opportunities, and not only in the Highlands and Islands, but in cities and in southern and eastern Scotland. Teach and make a difference.

Sarah Anderson – Secondary Teacher in Tobermory High School on Mull

“I am from Skye originally, and I was educated in Gaelic Medium Education in Broadford Primary School, and then Portee High School. I attended Edinburgh University after leaving school, where I gained an honours degree in Celtic Studies. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I graduated. I worked in an office in Edinburgh, and I was there for two years before I decided to apply for the PGDE for Secondary Teaching at Strathclyde University. I always thought I would like to be a primary school teacher, but gradually I became more and more interested in teaching at secondary level. I really enjoyed Jordanhill, especially as I was given the chance to use my Gaelic on a daily basis, something I had missed a lot since I left university.

“I learnt a lot about teaching from my placements, although I must admit I was a bit nervous going to back to my old school in Portree to teach alongside some of the teachers I had in school! After my year’s training at Jordanhill I taught for a year at Lochaber High School, before starting in my current job at Tobermory High School on Mull. I’ve been here for just over a year, and I teach learners and fluent speakers from S1 to S6. I really enjoy teaching both streams, which are very different: the learners’ classes are much bigger than the fluent speakers’ classes, which makes for a varied and challenging day.

“I’m glad to be teaching my first language, and it reminds me of how fortunate I am to be bi-lingual. It also gives you a great lift to see how interested the pupils are in the language, especially given the number of opportunities there are in Gaelic today. I’ve learnt a lot as a teacher already: there are lots of opportunities, and quite a few challenges! Teaching keeps you really busy, it can be hard work; and at exam time, you’re just as worried as the pupils. But each day is different, and you enjoy every day, and more often than not it’s fun!

“And of course, the holidays are great!”

Media

There has never been a better time to become involved in Gaelic broadcasting and media, with a comprehensive Gaelic digital service having recently being launched which includes a dedicated television channel. Sports, documentary, drama, comedy, news, and many other genres mean that there is an amazing variety of jobs and careers open to you in Gaelic broadcasting. Would you like to work behind or in front of the camera? Are you a budding director, producer, presenter, camera operator, editor, researcher or IT whizz? Your choice, and what a choice!

Kirsteen MacDonald – News and Weather Reporter for BBC ALBA

“Four days a week I report on the weather for BBC ALBA. It is a really interesting and enjoyable job. Although I’m not a qualified meteorologist, I have received a lot of training from the Met Office in London, and I get a lot of support and help from Heather Reid and Peter Sloss, who present the weather for Reporting Scotland. The weather situation changes constantly, and no two days at work are ever the same, with different challenges facing you each and every day. This means that the job itself is never dull. I really enjoy presenting the weather to viewers, and trying my best to make sure I get it right.

“I also continue to work in news, delivering the Gaelic weekly news roundup, ‘Seachd Là’ or ‘Seven Days’, on BBC ALBA. I really enjoy that too, as I am able to remain involved in current affairs and what is happening in the wider world.

“I grew up in Inverness, in a non-Gaelic-speaking household, however, I went through Gaelic Medium Education at Central Primary School in Inverness and then Milburn Academy. I then completed an honours degree at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye in Language and Culture. I do not think that a lack of Gaelic in the home should stop anyone from learning or being educated in the language. Through hard work and constant learning, I think it is possible for anyone to make a living in the Gaelic Media. “As the late Finlay MacNeill said to me, ‘Gaelic will be good for you, and you will make use of Gaelic’. How true that is.”

Music

It is not easy to succeed as a professional musician, and although this is true of Gaelic music too, there are some wonderful opportunities to succeed in Gaelic music. Prime examples of Gaelic singers and musicians who have made it to the top include Donnie Munro, Karen Matheson from Capercaillie and Julie Fowlis – they have all won an international reputation through Gaelic music. However, it’s not just lead singers who find work in Gaelic music: you can produce music, publish it, become an accomplished musician, or even teach music to others. Many people have been drawn to music through Gaelic, and many have discovered Gaelic and its culture through music. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the Mod or mods that you’re interested in, you may just find a career in Gaelic music.

Calum Alex MacMillan – Gaelic Development Officer for Fèisean nan Gàidheal

“I left home when I was 18 and I went to Aberdeen where I completed a degree in Accounting and Finance. Although I enjoyed my four years there, I was more often than not thinking of the other career paths I was going to pursue when I left university. Once I had finished the degree, I went back to Lewis. The first week I was back, I spotted an advert in the paper for this job at Fèisean nan Gàidheal, and it was then that I decided that I would really enjoy this kind of work. I had been involved in the Fèisean a fair bit over the years, both as a participant and teaching. I’ve now been in the job for two years, and I am really enjoying the work. I’m often out of the office our Office in Inverness visiting Fèisean all over Scotland, helping them to promote Gaelic at their events.

“It’s nearly 17 years since I first sang in front of an audience. It was at a Christmas Party for senior citizens in Aird Community Hall, and I sang the first song my father taught me, ‘Teann a-nall, ’thoir dhomh do làmh’. Since then I have learned many songs from my father and we were both invited this year to sing at the Celtic Connections Festival in Cape Breton in Canada. What a fantastic time we had, and I enjoyed those concerts with my father as much as anything I have ever done. I am busy at the moment singing with Dàimh and I am also involved with the group of singers, ‘Na Seòid’. All of this gives me fantastic opportunities to travel and to meet so many interesting people through Gaelic and music. I feel really lucky that I was brought up with Gaelic and music in the home, and I am particularly grateful that I am in a situation where I work with the language on a daily basis, and that I have the opportunity to sing as often as I do.”

News

If you are interested in the news, current affairs and a career in journalism, career opportunities await in broadcasting and print. Many Gaelic speakers have made a name for themselves as reporters and journalists, both in Gaelic and English. There are news services on the Gaelic television channel BBC ALBA and Gaelic radio (Radio nan Gàidheal), there is a Gaelic newspaper, ‘An Gàidheal Ùr’ or ‘The New Gael’, and a number of weekly and daily newspapers also carry Gaelic content. If you want to break the news as it happens, and uncover the next big story, find out more about Gaelic journalism and you could be making your first scoop as part of a new and exciting career.

Iain MacLean – Newsreader and Reporter for BBC ALBA and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal

“I work as a news reader and reporter in Gaelic for the BBC in Inverness. I joined the BBC news team when I graduated from university. It’s a really varied job. You are involved in a number of aspects of news work – from scripting and presenting the news on radio, to, in my case, presenting Gaelic’s main television news bulletin, ‘An Là’, on BBC Alba. It’s a fantastic job for anyone with an interest in the language, as well as news. Quite often you come across concepts which are alien to Gaelic, and you have to think of ways to clearly express these concepts to the listeners, and now also the viewers. That, coupled with the requirements of the service, which mean that we report on the news from Harris to Harare, mean that the job is always fresh and interesting.”

Performing

From the original Gaelic soap, ‘Machair’, to powerful stage plays and wry comedies from the pen of skilled Gaelic writers such as John Murray (Iain Moireach) and Finlay MacLeod (Fionnlagh MacLeòid), Gaelic drama has a proud history of community-based and professional performers and productions, on stage and on television. The new Gaelic television channel has created the potential for a whole host of new job opportunities connected to Gaelic drama, comedy and other performing arts: for actors, writers, producers, directors and many other skilled workers, there’s has never been a better time to become involved in Gaelic drama. At the community level, there are initiatives such as the recent drama summer school where young people were able to learn valuable performance, technical and production skills from professionals. Show the world how talented you are by taking the stage with Gaelic drama!

Development

There is one field of employment where you will not only develop your own skills and career, but you will have the chance to promote and preserve a language and culture, and leave an enduring mark on the culture and history of Scotland. More and more job opportunities are likely to arise in Gaelic development over the coming years following new legislation and Gaelic language plans, which are aimed at growing the language and creating an environment where it can flourish. Gaelic development is not simply working for one of the organisations set up to revitalise the language and culture, it is can include any number of jobs or roles, and the only limit is your own imagination. You could work with a community group, as a musician or in the civil service, and all of these jobs could contribute to Gaelic and its future. It’s a big challenge, and a great responsibility, but remember, if you succeed, Gaelic will succeed.

Coinneach Combe – Comunn na Gàidhlig Development Officer.

“I work for Comunn na Gàidhlig as a Development Officer. I have held this post for 4 years now. I didn’t get Gaelic medium education (I was brought up on the mainland in Renfrewshire, an area where there wasn’t, and for the time being still isn’t Gaelic medium education available) and I studied Computer Studies at university. As such I hadn’t expected to use my Gaelic skills for work but a year after graduating from university I ended up going to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. I spent a year there and secured work with Comann na Gàidhlig when I was finished. My work is very broad, supporting Sradagan youth groups, putting information online, supporting my colleagues with computing resources, translations and more. I also teach two Gaelic evening classes in Paisley for Renfrewshire Council. I would recommend working in Gaelic without a doubt. It’s good to give people a chance to use the language and very encouraging when you interact with Gaelic learners who are making progress.”

Check out the latest Gaelic vacancies

Bòrd na Gàidhlig - Information on Gaelic jobs

Comunn na Gàidhlig - Information on latest Gaelic jobs

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig - Information about Gaelic careers from Scotland’s Gaelic college

Gaelic Teaching - Gaelic tearcher vacancies

Multilingualvacancies - Information on jobs where Gaelic is required

BBC - Jobs at the BBC

MG ALBA - Vacancies at MG ALBA