TEAMING UP TO LISTEN TO EMPLOYERS' NEEDS

Lantra staff recently accompanied Danny Logue from Skills Development Scotland on a tour visiting employers across Scotland to see first-hand the skills issues facing both employers and employees in the sector.

Willie Fergusson, Lantra’s Director for Scotland said: “Skills Development Scotland work with Lantra on many different levels, and are the main sponsor of Lantra’s Land-based Learner of the Year Awards. Danny presented this year’s awards on behalf of SDS. Through Danny’s involvement with this event he expressed an interest in learning more about the sector and the people working in it, so we arranged a two day tour with a range of employers across Scotland.” First stop of the day was at Easterton Stables in Mugdock, Milngavie to meet with owner, Rosemary Brown. Easterton Stables, incorporating Easterton Livery and Easterton Equestrian employs four full time staff and four trainees. Highlighting some of the challenges faced by her employees, Rosemary said: “During Danny’s visit to the stables we had the opportunity to discuss qualifications on a range of levels, including the cross over of qualifications as one of my employees is from Bulgaria”. Rosemary continued: “Danny also had the opportunity to meet with a number of school children who experience barriers to learning; he was amazed to learn about the difference that horse riding has made to these kids, allowing us to highlight the progress that can be achieved within the equine industry with support from government initiatives.” Next stop was at the Grouse Moor to meet Ian Brown, Head Game Keeper of the Burnfoot Partnership near Gargunnock. While touring around the estate, Ian discussed the challenges facing the estate’s employees, advising how important skills are to the industry in order to improve efficiency, reduce wastage and increase profitability. Knowing how to maintain and improve the game and wildlife habitat, assisting with breeding stock, and maintaining the game population are all important within this industry. A magnificent mountainside is the setting of Benmore in the Cowal Peninsula. During this visit Peter Baxter, curator for the garden, detailed the wide range of skills required by those who work in the gardens, including constructing and maintaining boundaries and paths, establishing and developing decorative amenity areas, maintaining plants outdoors, tree climbing, spraying, and tractor control. A meeting with Ian Wilson, Trainer from the Forestry Commission Scotland, also provided the opportunity to meet a Modern Apprentice operating a forest harvester. Danny was shown how the machinery worked and the high level of technical and IT skills required for this role. The Forestry Commission are leading the way in taking on Modern Apprentices in the trees and timber industry, and highlighted the need to develop a Level 2 qualification in addition to a Level 3 qualification. Ian Wilson said: “With the increasing importance of the Scottish forestry sector, future production could be compromised by the general shortage of forest workers, especially young skilled forest machine operators. The Modern Apprenticeship scheme has gone a long way in filling potential shortages of operators in the west of Scotland, and hopefully we will continue to build on this success in the future.” Last stop was at Lighthouse Caledonia, a leading global supplier of high quality Scottish salmon. Iain MacIntyre, Lighthouse Calendonia’s South Regional Manager showed Danny and Lantra staff around the fish farm where he explained the quality assurance practices, driven by the supermarket industry and emphasised the skills gaps and shortages within the industry. A visit to the Stronachullion site at Lochgilphead to observe the fish being fed helped the visitors see the technical competence and the range of skills of the operators who monitor the fish’s health and welfare. Iain MacIntyre said: “We are committed to developing our staff ensuring they have all the necessary skills required to carry out their roles effectively and efficiently. Fish farming has become increasingly technical so we must take a modern approach to staff training.” Danny Logue, Skills Development Scotland said: “This was an excellent opportunity to provide first-hand insight into the range and level of skills required across this sector. It also provided a huge amount of information regarding the range of careers and opportunities that are available. It is important that we provide our staff in Skills Development Scotland with this knowledge of the available careers, as well as the demands from the industry for Modern Apprenticeships. We will continue to support and work with Lantra in taking forward key areas of joint development”. ENDS ISSUED BY: Lantra Press Office – Paula Smyth, Tel: 028 79631304/ Email ni.media@lantra.co.uk CREDIT FOR PHOTOS: Danny Logue learns how to use a forest harvester Ian McIntrye shows Danny Logue around the fish farm EDITOR’S NOTES: • Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based sector, is licensed by the UK Government to drive forward the new skills, training and business development agenda for the sector. • Lantra represents 17 industries and 1.5 million workers and volunteers in agricultural crops, agricultural livestock, animal care, animal technology, aquaculture, environmental conservation, equine, farriery, fencing, fisheries management, floristry, game and wildlife management, land-based engineering, landscape, production horticulture, trees and timber and veterinary nursing. For more information see www.lantra.co.uk

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