Commission for the land-based learning review: report to Scottish Ministers

Appendix 3: Stakeholder event questions

Commission to review land-based learning

Education and Training Stakeholder Event – 1 September 2022

Discussion questions for break-out groups

We are sharing in advance the questions to be explored in the break-out discussions at the stakeholder event.

1. How are you currently engaged with education and training in the land-based sector?

2. What education and training is available for the land-based sector from early years onwards?

3. Where are the gaps in the content of education and training currently on offer? Is seasonality an issue?

4. Overall, what evidence is there that the sector responds quickly enough to change or does not? What is the role of the qualifying/funding bodies support/allow this? Are there other barriers or enablers?

5. What is there to ensure consistency of understanding among learners, educators, influencers and employers on skills and knowledge required?

6. What should the new qualifications/quality assurance body have at its core to ensure flexibility for the land-based sector?

7. Is there clarity about meta-skills and fair work requirements for future changes in learning journeys and pipeline of employment? What are the key learning requirements for (a) lifelong learners and (b) career changers? What would increase accessibility into pathways at all stages?

8. Regarding the learning journey from Early Years onwards:

• How can our education system develop the meta-skills (core/essential) skills required for employment in land-based and aquaculture?
• What land-based learning is there at S1 to S3 level at school? Does it need to increase? How can this be done?
• Where in the learning journey do young people have the chance to develop/test their land-based skills in practice?

9. Outdoor Learning:

• What is the content and proportion of outdoor learning in teacher training?
• How effective is the training for staff to adapt to the new Outdoor Learning regulation on time outdoors?
• Are college courses including the regulations on outdoor time into their training?

10. Would making the connections with key issues improve the attractiveness to young people to land use and aquaculture (Climate change, renewable energy, biodiversity, food security, food production, environment, health, cooking, research and technology)

11. Are future leaders being supported and developed? Is leadership capacity rurally being built? Are there resilience issues?

Commission to review land-based learning

Employers, Skills and Skills Gaps Event – 2 September 2022

Discussion questions for break-out groups

We are sharing in advance the questions to be explored in the break-out discussions at the stakeholder event.

1. How are you currently engaged with the land-based and aquaculture sector?

2. What are the main or most important skills gaps in your sector? Is this being addressed? Can you give examples of how?

3. To what extent are posts in the sector poorly paid.

4. What are the difficulties in addressing this and having Fair Work practices, particularly for microenterprises and SMEs?

5. Could changes to contracts/commissioning be made that would help with Fair Work requirements?

6. What are the challenges are there to around the size of companies and building capacity in the land-based sector where there are many small businesses? What are the differences between a land-based SME and a similar SME in joinery, for example?

7. To what extent do short-term tenders impact on SMEs ability to succeed and be sustainable?

8. What are the problems for local and national recruitment for the sector? Are vacancies advertised, if so, where is effective? If not, how are posts are filled?

9. To what extent and how is seasonality an issue in all of the above?

10. To what extent are practical access (including quality accommodation, kit, transport) for on-site education in land-based sectors a barrier to people taking up opportunities?

11. Accommodation/travel. What has been the effect of fewer providers following mergers?

12. What is the standard of accommodation, site facilities, practical kit, equipment and does this affect take up of places?

13. To what extent are costs of retraining if re-careering a barrier? What other are there?

14. What are the barriers to recruiting apprentices? Are there specific issues for micro-businesses in constant demand for example need time to train?

15. Is there a disproportionate reliance on short course training? Does the employee have to pay for this to get employed?

16. Where do people thinking about working in land-based sectors get information, advice and support? How do they know how to access the support?

17. Is there any mandatory requirement for training?

18. Have you offered or supported work experience for a new entrant or school pupil? Is so – how did it go? Did you experience any challenges during the process?

Commission to review land-based learning

Awareness and Perception of the Sector Event – 22 September 2022

We are sharing in advance the questions to be explored in the break-out discussions at the stakeholder event.

1. How are you currently engaged with the sector?

2. What do you think is the current perception of the sector at primary and secondary school age level and post-school?

3. Do you think the perception is different within minority ethnic communities and other under-represented groups?

4. How can we encourage exposure and awareness of jobs in the sector for example, with senior school students through employability awards, pathways to rural work, rural/industry partnerships?

5. How do you think this would be best measured and impacts interpreted?

6. Would the approach be different for those looking to choose a career and those looking for opportunities for career change?

7. How are secondary school pupils currently able to engage with land-based and aquaculture businesses? Is there a 'space' for this in the curriculum?

8. How do the sectors currently empower/support young people on making their career choices?

9. Is time of year/seasonality an issue for example, for jobs, school food production, course starts?

Stakeholder event Learning for Sustainability and the future of learning in Scotland's land-based and aquaculture sectors – 3 October 2022

Aims

• What does the current education and skills system for the land-based sectors look like?
• What might an ideal education and skills system for the land-based sectors look like?
• How to get there

Questions

Education and Skills

1. What education and training are you aware of that is currently available for the land-based sector from early years onwards?

2. What is there (if anything) to ensure consistency of understanding among learners, educators, influencers and employers on skills and knowledge required? What else is required?

3. What are the main or most important skills gaps related to the land-based sector from the perspective of your sector? Is this being addressed? Can you give examples of how.

4. Regarding the learning journey from Early Years onwards:

• How can our education system further develop the meta-skills (core/essential skills) required for employment in land-based and aquaculture settings?
• What land-based learning is there at S1 to S3 level at school? Does it need to increase? How can this be done?
• Where, in their learning journey, do young people have the chance to develop/test
• their land-based skills in practice?

Awareness and Perception of the Land-based and Aquaculture Sectors

5. Where and how do people thinking about working in land-based sectors get information, advice and support? How do they know how to access the support?

6. How can we further encourage exposure and awareness of jobs in the sector for example, with senior school students through employability awards, pathways to rural work, rural/industry partnerships?

7. How are secondary school pupils able to access engagement with land-based and aquaculture businesses? Is there a 'space' for this in the curriculum?

8. How do we empower young people on career choice in these sectors?