Lantra Scotland workplan 2023-24

INTRODUCTION

Lantra is the Sector Skills Council for the nature-based sector. It is an independent, UK wide charity, that exists to help ensure the skills needs of the sector are met. The work of Lantra in Scotland aligns with the priorities of the Scottish Government and assists the delivery of a Just Transition to a Green Economy in areas including education, farming, environment, aquaculture, forestry and conservation. We play a key role in the advancement of the sustainable rural economy through the skills development of its workforce and provide ongoing support towards the just transition to a green, wellbeing economy.

WORKING TOGETHER

To support the rural economy and enhance Scotland’s natural environment, by increasing the number and diversity of skilled employees in Scotland’s nature-based sector

In close partnership with Scottish Government, education partners, workforce development and skills agencies, trade organisations, membership bodies and individual businesses

Key to the successful delivery of Lantra’s work in Scotland is the ongoing support of the Scottish Government and it is to this end that we submit this workplan.

In 2022-23 our key themes were:

1. Promoting the sector as a positive and rewarding career choice

2. Supporting the development and maintenance of a skilled and diverse workforce

3. Understanding skills needs and gaps and ensure skills policies and provision help to address them

We have reviewed and revised our key themes in line with policy and the requirements of our industries to better reach our key audiences. Although we will continue to deliver many of our established activities, such as the Awards for Land Based and Aquaculture Skills. VirtRural, our schools activities and careers work, we will increase our focus in key areas to better meet the needs of our stakeholders. These being:

Employers

Strategic partners

Training providers

Skill developers

Career seekers and changers

Career influencers

THEMESFOR2023/24

1. Promotingpossibilities,opportunities,achievementsandsuccess

Ouraimisthatthesectorwillberecognisedasapositiveandrewardingcareerchoicetoawiderandmorediverseaudience.Thedifferentroutesinto nature-basedindustrieswillbeclearlysignpostedandworkinthissectorwillberecognisedasenjoyable,interesting,rewardingandsecure, supportingtheScottishGovernment'sNationalOutcomesrelatingtoEnvironmentandEducation

Towardsthisgoal,wewill:

Engage with a wider audience, both by updating our message and increasing our work with schools and career changers

Showcase the sector, and those working within it, to a wider variety of career influencers in order to increase awareness and understanding of career opportunities, utilising our network of Industry Champions and Ambassadors as appropriate.

Promote and celebrate the great things happening within the sector and the people that are making this happen

2. Supportingthedevelopmentandmaintenanceofaskilledanddiverseworkforce

Ouraimunderthisthemeisthatcareerseekers,careerchangers,skilldevelopersandemployersarefullyawareofthewiderangeoftrainingand learningopportunitiesavailableandthedifferentwaystodiversifytheirworkforce.InlinewithNationalOutcomesrelatingtoFairWorkand Business,EconomyandPoverty,andwhetheritbethroughthewiderpromotionoftrusteeroles,increasesinmentoringandtheofferingofwork experience,ortheincreasedrecruitmentofapprentices,ourworkwillhelptosupportthecontinuedgrowthandresilienceofourkeyruralindustries.

Underthisthemewewill:

Increase awareness, understanding and uptake of nature-based learning and training provision

Promote opportunities to support and influence skills development

Help to ensure that skills policies, strategies and support reflect the needs of nature-based businesses

Improve quality and range of training provision

3. Contributingtopolicyandpracticetobettermeettheneedsofthesector

Underthemethree,andinlinewithNationalOutcomesrelatingtoEnvironment,FairWorkandBusinessandEducation,ouraimisthatresearch informedpolicyandpracticewillensurethatournaturebasedskillsgapsaremet.Bydoingso,wewillensuretheworkforceresponsibleforthe protectionandenhancementofournaturalenvironmentarebestenabledtoachieveScotland'snetzeroandbiodiversitygoals.Atthesametime, theirdevelopmentwillhelptosustainourcommunities,providingfufillingemploymentandsupportingemployers.Underthisthemewewill:

Improve the quality of data available and make it easier to access

Increase investment in learning, skills development and training

Support more employers and employees to champion skills and career opportunities

Support our industries during their just transition to a green economy

"Itsgreat here!"

"Be great here!"

"Letsmakeit evengreater here."

PROMOTING POSSIBILITIES, OPPORTUNITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND SUCCESS

Aswelooktowardsthecomingyear,itisclearthatakeyoverarchingthemeforuswillbe'communication',includinghowwemightbestrebrand oursectorinordertoappealtoawideraudience.Tothisendandundertheme1ofourWorkplan,wewillworkwithsectorrepresentativesto discusshowwemightbesttakethisforwardinpartnership.Thiswillbeinformedbythebrandingworktheteamhasundertakenin2022-23and theindependentresearchfindingsfromtheSkillsforFarmingSectorAttractivenessproject.Oncethebestapproachtodoingsoisconfirmed,and whenwehaveagreementfrompartners,wewillreworkourcareersresourcesandmaterials.Bydoingthis,webelievewewillincreasetheappeal oflearningandtrainingopportunitiesbyawideraudience,presentingaunitedmessagetoapotentialapplicantwhichbettercommunicatesthe scaleandimportanceofthesector.

Wewillcontinueourworkwithschools,increasingthelevelofsupportwecanofferattheincreasingnumberofface-to-facecareerevents,aswell asrunningmoreinformationandtrainingsessionsforcareerinfluencers.Wewillensurethelatterarefullyawareof,andunderstand,thewide rangeofcareeropportunitiesthatthesectorpresents.Wewillensurenature-basedhasa'place'atcareereventsacrossthecountry,supportedby IndustryChampions,employersandemployeeshappytochampionskillsandcareeropportunities.Wewillalsobuildonthefindingsofthe perceptionanalysisundertakenthoughthe2022/23Skillsforfarmingproject,andifappropriate,extendthisworktootherareas.

Wewillupdateandextendourvirtualpresencethroughournewcareerresources.Thenewonlinepageswilllinkrevisedandextendedjobprofiles, withawiderrangeoftrainingandlearningopportunities.Wewillbuildonthishowever,andcommenceworkona'Nature-BasedCareertoolkit', mappedtotheassociatedcurricularlearningoutcomestoensureuptake,butfocussedonthewiderangeofoptionsthatoursectorpresentsand theimportanceof'place'(whichislargelyoverlookedinothercareersguidance).

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME1-TARGETS

Promoting possibilities, opportunities, achievements and success

Promote the sector to a wider audience.

Support more requests to deliver career activities

More school and college career events supported over a wider geographical area

widely recognised as a positive career destination Create a new "Find your path" careers toolkit to support our phone and face to face guidance

Work with partners to rebrand careers to new audiences 1 50 20

Careers events and materials promoting careers to a wider audience. 1 25 100

1 1 195

Research informed practice will allow us to ensure we are using our resources in the right way to better attract new entrants.

can work through their career options, with guidance specific to the sector, in their own time, but with appropriate support and guidance Make the sector more appealing by updating our message. Skills for Farming "Be a farmer" event held . Sector Perception analysis published Posters in schoolsQR Code hits

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME1-TARGETS

Promoting possibilities, opportunities, achievements and success

Promote the opportunities within the sector

Event that connects those advising on careers to those working within the sector. Sharing real life examples of roles and career paths.

nature

Meetings held Resource packs sent out 3 20 2 10 3 20 2 10 10 60 The sector is

recruited Increased awareness of STEM careers opportunities within the sector.

Increase the number of champions and ambassadors 10 50

More Forestry 5 60

STEM 40 250

and 5 100

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME1-TARGETS

Promoting possibilities, opportunities, achievements and success

Promote the achievements and success of those within the sector

Hold the Awards for Land-Based and Aquaculture Skills (ALBAS)

High profile event draws attention to the sector and those working within it. The finalists benefit from the recognitionboosting confidence and career prospects

Wide range of nominations received

60

2000 5000 8000 15000 Sector investing in skills recognition

Wider pool of talent being recognised and promoted Sponsorship secured to support the event

Strong support for the event shown through ticket sales

200

Sector supporting the event, and family and friends able to share in nominees success

ALBAS and Champion media mentions around the event

50

Effective promotion draws attention to careers in the sector

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME1-TARGETS

Promoting possibilities, opportunities, achievements and success

Target

More Industry Champions New champions recruited 10 10

New entrants are able to encourage others to follow their path by people who are still new to the sector.

Promote the achievements and success of those within the sector

Grow the number of Industry Champions and increase support for the initiative among employers and the sector.

Support events run for the Champions Face to face events delivered 1 1 2 Industry Champions are better informed about sector and how to engage audience.

Produce a Champions newsletter Newsletter distributed 1 1 2

Champions attend careers events or speak at events on behalf of Lantra

Increased awareness of the benefits of becoming a Champion and nominating for the ALBAS Champions support Lantra events

Champions undertake short courses that help them progress in their career

5 5 8 7 25

6 2 1 1 10

Wider audience reached through their support Training undertaken by Champions

Champions encouraged to support events and to remain champions due to the benefit the training and associated skills development opportunities.

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME1-TARGETS

Promoting possibilities, opportunities, achievements and success

Positive press and social media coverage helps us to increase our reach, the wider audience promotes both the sector as a positive destination, and Lantra as the place to go if you have questions.

KEY ACTIVITIES FOR 2023-24

SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF A SKILLED AND DIVERSE WORKFORCE

Lantra has always worked to identify skills needs and gaps and ensure skills policies and provision help to meet sector needs. However, as we move into 2023/24, the landscape in which we will be doing so is uncertain and the work of many of our key partner organisations are under review. Lantra will continue to be fully embedded in key skills groups, committees and working groups, ensuring we are ideally placed to respond to new developments and challenges as they arise. We will ensure we remain flexible in our outlook, whilst keeping focussed on the aims and objectives of each of the groups we support. Our ‘conversations with industry’ continue to be integral to successful work plan evolution and delivery, helping to ensure that we are responsive to the changing needs of the sector.

The apprenticeship system is also changing to ensure it is responsive to the opportunities and challenges created by changes to how we work. We will work to ensure the in depth review of vocational qualifications and training within this area is informed and led by industry, with direct involvement of key employers and employees. Although SDS will be leading this work. we will help support the reviews within Agriculture, Conservation and Wildlife Management , Horticulture and Trees and Timber and will ensure that the key sustainability criteria track through to standards and outcomes.

This work will also provide a useful starting point for the identification of the key transferable skills required across different job roles within the Sector. By ensuring key new entrants and apprentices are at the heart of this process, we will ensure that the sector's needs are met, as well as increase awareness and understanding of the business benefits of investing in learning, skills development and training.

We will continue to work with training and education providers to help ensure strong sustainability content, effective industry connections and to promote their courses. Our new online careers resource will also present clearer and more representative pathways for those interested in development and training, with qualification and short course training information linked to each role, as well as signposting to key funding and support organisations. This will be a UK and Ireland site, offering us the opportunity to extend the influence of our careers work across the UK, taking good practice beyond Scotland and recognising the importance of extending and diversifying the pool of potential employees for Scottish businesses.

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME1-TARGETS

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24 THEME2TARGETS

Supporting the development and maintenance of a skilled and diverse workforce

To support and promote skills development and the importance of a skilled and diverse workforce

Promote opportunities to support and influence skills development

Industry to ensure the skills system and initiatives suit their needs

Skill

and employers are aware of the range of training and learning opportunities. Lantra known as the place to go to for help

Best practice of employers shared. Better understanding and uptake of fair work practices

More employers take on apprentices Press has more impact aligned with national coverage

Unique challenges faced by rural and nature based industries accounted for in new skills developments

Frameworks created suit the needs of

Ensure that skills policies, strategies and support reflect the needs of business

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME1-TARGETS KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24 THEME2TARGETS

To support and promote skills development and the importance of a skilled and diverse workforce

Improve the uptake, quality, and range of training provision

Industry can access important skills relating to sustainability

Well supported and developed frameworks suit the needs of students and the sector. Increased range of skills available to the sector, including higher level STEM and

A more skilled workforce that is more resilient and better able to adapt to the changing needs of the sector.

KEY ACTIVITIES FOR 2023-24

INFLUENCING POLICY AND PRACTICE TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF THE SECTOR

A key aim of our work under this theme is to support investment in learning, skills development and training and thereby improve business performance. Although significant progress has been made over the last few years, with two new Skills Groups (Horticulture and Peatland) working alongside the more established groups, the review of Aquaculture has emphasised the need to regularly review remit, aims and membership. We plan to do this in line with recommendations resulting from the Skills review and the Commission for the review of land-based learning. There is also a need to do this in line with Fair Work objectives, and to ensure learning from interventions such as the Women in Agriculture Taskforce and Women in Scottish Aquaculture is used to inform actions to attract more women into nature-based sectors where there is a gender imbalance, and to extend this work to other areas of imbalance.

At the same time, it is important that those wishing to develop their nature-based skills are able to tailor their route to net zero, and can readily judge whether the training available is right for them and their business needs. To this end, and to better support our industries during their just transition to a greener economy, we will commence consultation on the development of a framework that will better allow courses to be scored on sustainability criteria. This would offer particular benefits if integrated into the next iteration of the Farm Advisory Service which currently is limited to recommend actions, rather than training. This work will of course help to support increased training within the agricultural sector in particular, but once established, could be rolled out to other nature based industries.

Under theme 3 we will also work to support more employers and employees to champion skills and career opportunities whether it be by offering work experience or mentoring a new entrant. We will increase the online support available to them, and run information sessions to help encourage them to take that first step. And of course we will continue to offer work experience ourselves, and to offer mentoring both internally and externally to Lantra.

WORK IN THE NATURE-BASED SECTOR CONTRIBUTES

SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SCOTTISH ECONOMY AMOUNTING TO 195,000 JOBS OR 7.5% OF SCOTLAND’S WORKFORCE IN 2019

NATURE-BASED JOBS ALSO GREW AT MORE THAN FIVE TIMES THE RATE OF ALL JOBS IN SCOTLAND IN THE PERIOD 2015-19(1)

Forexample,theSectoralSkillsAssessmentscombineAgriculture,ForestryandFishing(2)inanassessmentwhichencompasses:CropandAnimalProduction,HuntingandRelatedServiceActivities,Forestry,Logging,FishingandAquaculture(38,000people).There isnoseparateskillsassessmentforforestryor'otherlanduse',insteadthereisaFoodandDrinkPrimaryProductionassessment(3)whichencompasses:CropandAnimalProduction,HuntingandRelatedServiceActivities,andFishingandAquaculture(34,100 people) andconservationisn'tincludedineither

https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/49832/ssa-agriculture.pdf

https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/49838/ssa-food-and-drink-primary-production.pdf

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME3TARGETS

Contributing to policy and practice to better meet the needs of the sector

Improve the quality of data available and make it easier to access.

LMI questions created that could be more easily embedded into surveys and research

LMI questions created Used in research

10 2

10 2

LMI questions help to increase understanding of skills and labour gaps and reduce the need for repeated sector research

Influencing policy and practice to better meet the needs of the sector

Increase investment in learning, skills development and training

Apprenticeship data made more widely available

Graphs relating to apprenticeships shared on website 5

20

Providers given more intelligence relating to frameworks and uptake can better plan delivery

Work with others on the production of a framework by which key sustainability criteria for agriculture can be scored.

Presentations made at a range of conferences and seminars, information relating to skills and the sector shared as appropriate

Sustainability skills framework created

1 1

Tracking of progress towards sustainability targets is made more straightforward, and key skills gaps easier to identify

Host, deliver or participate in conferences, seminars and meetings where skills are considered

10 10 10 10 40

Key skills related input made to help inform policy, practice and new developments

KEYACTIVITIESFOR2023-24

THEME3TARGETS

Contributing to policy and practice to better meet the needs of the sector

Influencing policy and practice to better meet the needs of the sector

Support more employers and employees to champion skills and career opportunities

Increase the awareness of employers of the benefits of offering work experience and mentoring

Delivery of training to support mentoring and the offering of work experiencepromoting toolkit and in partnership with the Agricultural Rings

1 1 2

More employers willing to offer work experience, helps to increase number and retention of new entrants.

Support our industries towards a just transition to a green economy

Work with the ILGs and Skills groups, to help employers within the sector to offer Fair Work

ILG meetings held at which the opportunities and barriers are discussed

Actions recorded relating to potential solutions

Actions to attract more women where there is a gender imbalance are implemented and this work extended to other areas of imbalance

Delivery of interventions such as the practical training funds and leadership programmes extended to different areas in which there is an imbalance

2 1 1 4

Roles advertised are increasingly flexible to suit the needs of a changing workforce and attract more entrants

Increasingly diverse workforce helps to increase the resilience of the nature based sector and associated industries.

SUPPORTINGNATIONALOUTCOMES

The purpose and values of Lantra overlap with the National Performance Framework and Sustainable Development Goals in a number of key areas and aid in the delivery of national outcomes.

Helping to address gender inequality in the nature based sector through the delivery of training funds and support for ILGS and Skills Groups

Work to address gender inequality is extended to other areas of imbalance

Human Rights, Fair work and Business

Increasing the resilience of the sector through growing the support for a more diverse and skilled workforce

Supporting employers to build the resilience of their businesses through different recruitment models (including apprenticeships and work experience

Ensuring skills support is available for those working to increase our natural capital and reduce our carbon footprint

The Economy and Poverty

Working with delivery partners to increase the range of skills provision relating to the sector

Increasing the employment options for those working in remote and rural areas, and fragile communities

Supporting the work of schools and colleges to increase learning in the outdoors by promoting and supporting the existing training and encouraging the development of more resource

Education and Children

Providing support for outdoor learning which has been shown to help increase well-being and improve learning outcomes

Helping the next generation to appreciate the importance of the nature-based sector

Environment

By ensuring the nature based sector can meet its skills needs, which in turn will help ensure we can meet national targets

By increasing the embedding of key skills relating to sustainability in all training and education relating to the sector

Working SMART(ER)

Lantra is committed to ensuring all our activities deliver best value. We will do this by ensuring our actions and outcomes are:

Specific, Measured, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound and perhaps most important of all, that they Encompass Rurality

THESCOTLANDTEAMANDOURNATIONALSUPPORT

Lantra benefits from direct support from the National chairs (both for Scotland and UK) at a governance level, and from senior management and specialist colleagues operating UK-wide. Examples include financial management, human resources, information technology, executive team guidance, standards and qualifications expertise, quality and risk management, and partnership working with colleagues in Wales, Northern Ireland and England.

Lantra Scotland supports associated operational costs through corporate overhead payments and, where appropriate, by attributing specific staff tasks and time to the Scotland work plan.

The following are the staff that deliver the Scottish Government workplan, including their Full Time Equivalent (FTE).

Scotland Director

Liz Barron-Majerik 1 FTE

Industry Partnership Manager

Niall Evans 1 FTE

FBAASS and Events Co-Ordinator

Lorna Teague 0.5 FTE

Finance & Admin assistant

Karolina Samerek 1.0 FTE

Finance Assistant (Scotland)

Diana Gavrilita 0.5 FTE

Management Assistant

Kelli Kirk 0.5 FTE

Training & Education Co-ordinator

Jacky Carstairs 0.6 FTE

DELIVERINGTOTARGET

Project Co-Ordinator

Annabel Brown 1.0 FTE

Sustainability Co-Ordinator

Annie Sherwin 1.0 FTE

Emily Dewar (maternity leave) 1.0 FTE

Marketing Co-Ordinator

Jim Ewing 1.0 FTE

In recognition of ongoing constraints regarding the cost of living crisis, and through natural reductions in both our head count and the number of projects that aligned with our workplan we have endeavoured to keep delivery costs for 2023-24 similar to the previous financial year. However, increased operational costs, and the increased need to engage in a wider diversity of work, have meant that in order to deliver this workplan, we would require:

Development costs: £530,000

Comprising £420,000 of operational costs and £110,000 of direct costs.

However, we remain flexible in our outlook and continue to engage with Scottish Government and the sector, taking on new projects as required, in line with our charitable aims and objectives.