HRFCA’s Highland Gold Network consists of the current 39 Gold Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) employers in the HRFCA area of responsibility, from NHS Orkney in the north to Stirling Council in the central belt, and IED Training Solutions on the east coast.
These public and private sector employers have all achieved coveted ERS Gold status and have been part of the national Gold Alumni Association (GAA) based in London. However, as the GAA continues to grow, it was decided that each RFCA should have its own regional group to represent local interests as well as national ones, and thus our Highland Gold Network was set up.
The Chair of the Network is Sharon Faulkner of Angus Council. She is the council’s Head of HR, IT and Organisational Development. The Council has been a Gold Award holder since 2020. Vice Chair is Ian Clark of IED Training Solutions Ltd. IED was awarded Gold in 2019.
The aim of the group is to advocate for Defence people, while sharing best practice and ideas, and to encourage and mentor Bronze and Silver employers to gain Gold status.
The Gold Employers will work with our Regional Employer Engagement Directors Ray Watt and Roy McLellan to support Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs), and to liaise with local units in collaborative partnerships.
The Chair will also feed into the UK-wide GAA to ensure the interests of businesses in Central and Northern Scotland are well represented.
To find out more about the group or to make contact with one of the members, please contact
[email protected].
Gold Network members:
Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeenshire Council
Abertay University
Angus Council
Donut Pig Digital Media
Drumfork Nursery & Family Centre
Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce
Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce
Dundee City Council
Fife Chamber of Commerce
Fife Council
Fife Medical Group
Flagship Maritime Ltd
Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce
Highland Council
High Life Highland
Horizon Security Solutions Ltd
IED Training Solutions
Knockhill Racing Circuit
McLeod Glaziers
The MacRobert Trust
Meldrum Joinery & Building Services
Moray Chamber of Commerce
Moray Council
NHS Forth Valley
NHS Golden Jubilee
NHS Highland
NHS Orkney
NHS Tayside
Perth & Kinross Council
Recruitment Bee (Scotland) Ltd
Scottish Ambulance Service
Scottish Water
Sport Aberdeen
Stirling Council
Trident IES
West Dunbartonshire Council
Wood PLC
Worrall Financial Management Ltd
