Scottish Agricultural College’s Crichton Royal Farm was among the beneficiaries taking part on the project. Farm Manager Hugh McClymont said: “This has been a very positive challenge, which allowed participants to focus on all aspects of their role and not just the routine functions of their position. As with all training opportunities, we hope the outcome will be a more skilled and effective team.“
Lantra National Director Willie Fergusson said: “We have been particularly pleased that beneficiaries have cited the benefits of the Skills Passports as helping them to identify their skills gaps and training needs, allowing a more structured approach to skills development.
“The Skills Passports also provide quality assurance and demonstrate competence in areas such as animal welfare standards and legislative requirements. Farm owners and managers can also use the Passports to create staff training and development plans. Where training needs and development opportunities are identified, the online Lantra One Stop Shop for training can be used to locate suitable training to meet individual training needs, be they technical, management, IT or legislative.”
First Milk Director Tom Campbell said: “As chairman of the First Milk Academy, I am very pleased with what our partnership with Lantra has delivered. With returns to producers having increased significantly over the past six months, we are finally at a stage where dairy farmers, and the people that work on their farms, can see a sustainable future in the industry. Therefore, the rollout of this Skills Passport could not have come at a better time."
Lantra is also developing Skills Passports for the pig farming sector in partnership with Quality Meat Scotland, and work has begun on a Competence Framework for crofters in partnership with the Scottish Crofting Foundation.
