Lantra Scotland workplan 2021-22

LANTRA SCOTLAND WORKPLAN 2021-22 #NoTwoDaysTheSame #CountrysideCareers www.scotland.lantra.co.uk

Generations will soon come into their power feeling differently about themselves than we do now, and in their re-enchanted world, they will wonder about us and what we did to their world, and what we thought we were doing.

JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER

A BIT OF A YEAR In 2020, life changed.

IMAGE BY PIRO4D FROM PIXABAY

To protect our industries, communities, our friends and our families, we distanced. But we didn't stop.

Instead, we changed. We reached out in a different way, adapting how and where we worked. The sector needed us to rapidly take on new projects whilst still delivering on targets. It wasn't always easy, but we did it, and now, as we look forward to the 'next normal', we are more confident than ever in our ability to respond, connect, innovate and help.

COMMITTED

The work of Lantra Scotland is aligned with the priorities of the Scottish Government and supports delivery in a wide range of areas including education, farming, environment, aquaculture, forestry, climate change and food and drink.

Despite Britain’s exit from the European Union, Scotland’s commitment to supporting a sustainable rural economy remains strong and has been reiterated by both the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills.

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.

LANTRA SCOTLAND WORKPLAN 2021-22

WORKING

TOGETHER

- To support the rural economy and enhance Scotland’s natural environment, by increasing the number and diversity of employees in Scotland’s land-based and aquaculture sector and driving their skills development

- To do this in close partnership with Scottish Government, education partners, workforce development and skills agencies, trade organisations, membership bodies and individual businesses

WORKPLAN THEMES 1. Promote the sector as a positive and rewarding career choice 2. Support the development and maintenance of a skilled and diverse workforce 3. Understand skills needs and gaps and ensure skills policies and provision help to address them

KEY ACTIVITIES FOR 2021-22

PLANNING AHEAD It is difficult at the best of times to predict what the future might hold, but this year it is particularly challenging. However, although the details might not be clear, we are confident that we will continue to be responsive to the needs of the sector and our stakeholders.

We are fully embedded in key skills groups, committees and working groups, and are ideally placed to respond to new developments and challenges as they arise. We will ensure we remain flexible in outlook, whilst keeping focussed on our aims.

We are committed to outreach activities and will continue to deliver throughout 2021/22, whether they be virtual or face to face, whether they are for the individual or to an audience of thousands, they will be both engaging and effective.

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLY

13 - CLIMATE ACTION

Our activities, products and services will enhance knowledge and understanding of environmental issues and opportunities. We will work with others to better embed and enhance sustainability in training and education

8- SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

17 - PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

10-REDUCED INEQUALITIES

We will play an important role in ensuring that our industries inform the development of standards, qualifications and apprenticeships so that they are fit for purpose and meet employers’ needs.

There is no other sector that has such a diversity of job roles and working environments; with something for everyone, regardless or background, age or interests. We will use a range of approaches to ensure that this message reaches a diverse audience.

We will make a significant contribution to the sustainable development and resilience of Scotland’s wider rural economy and communities as we help ensure they can maximise the benefit of our natural resources.

8- DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

14-LIFE BELOW WATER

4 - QUALITY EDUCATION

15 - LIFE ON LAND

KEY ACTIVITIES FOR 2021-22

REACHING OUT Lantra will continue to increase the profile of our Industry Champions and other ambassadors. Working with the Scottish Schools Education Resource Centre (SSERC) and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Ambassador hubs we will facilitate a national network of ambassadors, accessible to careers influencers, teachers and community groups, and who will help us to increase the range, scope and impact of our public engagement work.

At the same time, we will grow and diversify the instructor network in Scotland, so that businesses can more readily access the professional technical training they require. We will also ensure that this training is delivered to a wider audience, helping to remove barriers and increase participation.

KEY ACTIVITIES FOR 2021-22

IMAGE BY MABEL AMBER FROM PIXABAY

SPEAKING UP

We support a shift to a more demand-led skills system that better responds to the skills needs of our sector. To best address climate change, we need a diverse, innovative and skilled workforce. However, we also recognise that strategic importance isn't easily measured, and predicting skills needs is difficult. To this end, Lantra will continue to support the work of partners to maintain and improve the quality of learning and teaching for all and to ensure we are quick to respond to emerging trends.

We will play an important role in ensuring that our industries are directly engaged in the development of standards, qualifications and apprenticeships so that they are fit for purpose and meet employers’ needs.

We will also use the results of research into Apprenticeship delivery to inform our priorities for capacity building into 2021 and beyond, and will build on our consultation work to increase uptake in Foundation Apprenticeships.

IMAGE BY JASMIN SESSLER FROM PIXABAY

SHOUTING OUT We will update and extend our virtual presence, creating new web pages with a wider reach and scope than ever before. We will be the 'one stop shop' for anyone looking for a career or training within the sector, as well as a hub for news and updates on developing projects.

We will ensure the importance of working sustainably and fairly is strongly emphasised throughout our materials and publications, as well as being clearly expressed in how we do our work, and we will work with key partners to help others to do this too.

DELIVERING ON TARGETS

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

Our ‘conversation with industry’ continues to be integral to successful work plan evolution and delivery, helping to ensure that we are responsive to the changing needs of the sector post-Brexit, post-pandemic and into the 'next normal'.

During the next year of delivery, Lantra will continue to play a key role in driving and supporting delivery of the Scottish Forest & Timber Technologies Skills Action Plan, the Aquaculture Skills Action Plan, and the Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland. Helping to ensure all actions are tracked and supported through to completion.

Right now over 70 percent of the world population is convinced that something serious has to be done about the dangers facing the planet. ...Most of humanity wants to know how to make the change. It's one of those tipping-point times where things can change unbelievably fast.

PAUL H. RAY AND SHERRY RUTH ANDERSON, THE CULTURAL CREATIVES

SCOTLAND TEAM

DELIVERY

National Director Liz Barron-Majerik

WORKPLAN COSTS

Project Manager Sheena Howden, 0.9 FTE

In recognition of constraints imposed by the ongoing pandemic, we aim to keep delivery costs for Lantra’s work plan for 2020-21 the same as the previous financial year:

Development Manager Kevin Patrick , 0.6FTE Policy and Partnerships CoOrdinator Jeni Adamson Project Co-Ordinator Annabel Baker FBAASS and Events Co-Ordinator Lorna Teague, Scotland Workplan 0.6 FTE Marketing Co-Ordinator Jim Ewing Office Co-Ordinator – local support Kelly Kirk 0.4 FTE Office Co-Ordinator – Skills Groups Jacky Carstairs 0.6 FTE

Development costs £515,000 This comprises £402,000 of operational costs and £113,000 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.

NATIONAL SUPPORT 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.