Scottish Skills Strategy Group

The group (18) met jointly with Scotland Food and Drink Skills Group in the new combined format of Food and Drink Skills Strategy Group.

Amalgamated group remit will be a united view:-
– To give advice, guidance and support to Improve's development and implementation of a comprehensive skills strategy for the food and drink industry to ensure full skills coverage and availability is in place and accessible across Scotland.
– To support, guide and advise on the implementation and further development of the Sector Skills Agreements, Labour Market Intelligence and Qualifications Reform and development strategies of Improve (the SSC for food and drink manufacturing) and other food and drink associated SSCs (e.g. Lantra and Skillsmart Retail)
– To deliver the key priorities of the Scotland Food and Drink Strategy.

This will hopefully achieve one common message coming from the sector.

Jack Matthews said this group should take up the mantle of Sector Skills Agreements by addressing qualification reform and raising industry profile within schools.

Key output of SF&D Strategy will be the Skills Academy.

There will be a number of sub-groups tasked with specific actions to promote and drive the development and accessibility of critical skills areas e.g.

• Senior Management and Leadership
• Food Science and Technology
• Careers promotion
• and other issues as required utilising a task and finish format.

Discussion ensued about sub groups and the absence of focus on funding. It was agreed that means of funding should be part of an integrated SF&D strategy.

H&I were looking for a different type of focus rather than a “tightening of the belt”. Their representative took a pragmatic view and said they would react to demand/lobbying as long as argument was robust.

Workforce development needs added as a sub group and a sub group to engage with the Education Sector and the Scottish Funding Council.

George Stephenson from Mathiesons bakers enforced the point that structure for funding and delivery clearly doesn't work for employers. It needs a fundamental change of direction. Netherlands approach is completely different as seen at Jim Mather's session held earlier in the year at Larbert.

Sylvia Halkerston – We need to recognise fundamental requirements – FE sector is not working for F&D so we need to have influence.

Jack Matthews asked – What can we do to be different from any other sector? We must give politicians solutions that they will get kudos from.
Chair summarised:

The problem has not gone away; F&D industry cannot key into funding that exists. Let's articulate what we want and give the public sector the problem. We have Richard Lochhead “on the bus”. A strategic discussion needs to overarch the sub group's work.

Scotland Food and Drink
Scotland Food and Drink was set up formally a year ago out of the Industry Strategy Group. Its aim – better collaboration (not just processors broadened from farmers to retailers). The organisation was a team of just four so that it doesn't soak up resources. Currently SF&D engages with over 100 contributors. Their Mission is to raise the value of output in the F&D Industry from £7.5bn to £10bn.

Four key priorities: Skills, Reputation, Innovation and Collaboration.

Vision – Scotland a Land of Food and Drink.

From the National Food and Drink Policy we have the SF& D Leadership Form chaired by Richard Lochhead focussed on economic growth encompassing the four industry priorities.

The National Skills Academy is “the big ticket” as far as skills agenda of SF&D.

Actions from previous meetings
Kelvin Thomson – Actions from July Improve meeting.
NSA – endorsed Abertay business case
Scottish Government approached to take NSA forward.
Jack Matthews has met with Willie Rowe, Chairman of SDS.

SF& D actions:

1 Remove overlap reduction (by combining meetings).
2 KT has met with SDS regards making sector more attractive (Jane Stevenson). KT felt that “The Path is” series should included Food and Drink. They have 450 schools advisers. Broaden out to Job Centre Plus adults returning to work.
3 AMcG approach on pathway developments for funding modular credit based approach.
4 Skills Academy.

Progress on Funding for Adult Modern Apprenticeships
Improve, along with another three Sector Skills Councils were asked to submit their evidence to Skills Development Scotland for public support towards increasing the skills levels and skills utilisation across the Food & Drink manufacturing sector.

At the same time Improve and Construction Skills have obtained approval for the first Level II Modern Apprenticeship frameworks since the announcement in 'Skills for Scotland, A Lifelong Learning Strategy' (Scottish Government, September 2007) that the MA programme would be extended to include Level II as well as Level III frameworks.

The key areas of activity are:

• The key messages remain similar to previous representations that the industry wishes to see more financial support being given at Level II as well as III and that there should be a relaxation in the age restrictions that prevents the overwhelming majority of the workforce being eligible.

• In addition emphasis has been given that the industry would welcome a more flexible funding mechanism that may allow groups of units or short interventions to be funded in addition to Modern Apprenticeships or Scottish Vocational Qualifications. This has been a key theme of the submission that has been made to SDS and Scottish Government by the Red Meat/Retail Butchery sector that is focussing on those key skills, competencies that are crucial to increasing not only the skills but are also linked to productivity enhancements which is very attractive to SDS at present.

• Skills Development Scotland is considering these responses at present, it is likely that this will shape support given to industry from 1 April 2009.

• Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland have begun consideration as to what financial support should be given to the new Level II Modern Apprenticeship frameworks. Scottish Government is keen to see support during this financial year. To help with this discussion Improve (as well as Construction skills) have been asked to indicate the likely level of demand for places between now and the end of March 2009. This information is being collated form the key trade organisations along with the 5 Modern Apprenticeship providers.

The meeting was content with this approach and direction of activity; are there any other steps that could be taken to progress this work stream.

Development of a Management and Leadership Programme.
Develop innovation, increased flexibility, process improvement, learn manufacturing and best practice. Target audience – potential future leaders.
Who delivers? – SAC, universities, institutes.
What would the recognised qualification be? – Still to be established.

It was agreed that a structure was required to ensure that this did not included Level 4+ but those aspiring from Level 2 to Level 3. Elaine Snel – HNC/Dip in Management support materials have been developed. It is on the SQA website.

Summing Up
Chair summed up as well as work groups the Scottish Skills Group has significant influencing role, needs clear objectives. View expressed that timelines need to be set; agreed bridge required from Level 2 to Level 3.

Next meeting: February 2009