Save Our Skills - new partnership to safeguard rural skills and promote land-based careers
Press ReleaseSave Our Skills - new partnership to safeguard rural skills and promote land-based careers
A new partnership has been launched to promote rural careers for young people, raise awareness of available opportunities and safeguard skills and knowledge for future generations.
The Game and Wildlife Management Skills Group (GWMSG) will be chaired by Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) , with Lantra acting as the secretariat.
The group combines the expertise and resources of 19 organisations and its aim is to ensure young people are aware of opportunities in their area and have access to appropriate support and guidance.
Skills such as deer management, grouse moor management, muirburn, moorland ecology and gamekeeping are among the many aptitudes that contribute to sustainable land use.
Nic MacLeod, acting policy adviser for Scottish Land & Estates, said: “We are delighted to be able to join forces with partners from across the game and wildlife sector to help the next generation to embark on a rural career.
“In Scotland, we have a thriving game management and conservation sector and there are numerous opportunities on offer all over the country, with training and apprenticeships available, whether for school-leavers or those who are new to the sector. These skills are of vital importance to enhance biodiversity, create cohesive rural communities, boost the economy and use the land sustainably. By working together we can enable skills transfer to the next generation and also actively protect and improve some of our most precious landscapes and habitats.”
Liz Barron-Majerik, Scotland Director for Lantra, said: “The next few years are a critical time for both preserving and developing skills, and improving access to careers in this sector. By working together we can help ensure the vital role that land-based industries play in the Scottish and UK economy is more widely recognised. This partnership is an excellent way to collaborate, share knowledge and invest in the next generation.”
There remain considerable barriers to entry for certain land-based careers partly due to misconceptions about the sector and in some cases a lack of suitable role models.
One of the aims of the Game and Wildlife Management Skills Group is to promote a broader understanding of the role that the game and wildlife management sector plays in ecosystem health, biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management. In addition the GWMSG will help bridge the gap between school-leavers and employers as well as highlighting options for diversification of skills for those already working in the sector.
The other members of the partnership are: British Association of Shooting and Conservation, Borders College, Countryside Learning Scotland, Cairngorm National Park Authority, Developing the Young Workforce, Forestry and Land Scotland, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Moray Estates, NatureScot, National Trust for Scotland, Royal Highland Education Trust, Scottish Association of Country Sports, Scottish Countryside Alliance, Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association, Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups, Scotland’s Rural College and University of the Highlands and Islands.