Professionalism in Agriculture. People Progression Profit

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1 Professionalism in Agriculture People Progression Profit

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3 Professionalism in Agriculture People, Progression, Profit Contents Page Foreword 1 Background 2 Strategic Aims 4 Benefits of a UK Skills Offer 4 Improving business performance through skills investment 5 Safeguarding the future 5 Simplifying the Skills Agenda 6 Recognising and Integrating Skills Development 6 Government initiatives and relationships 7 Future Skills Needs 7 Action Plan to Drive the Skills Agenda Forward 8 This industry skills strategy was developed by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) following stakeholder consultation on behalf of the AgriSkills Forum. The document builds on the AgriSkills Forum Strategy Towards a New Professionalism, published in 2010, and aims to provide a common vision and pathway which the many existing skills initiatives can rally behind. This will get us all pulling in the same direction, achieving significantly more for no additional investment and with each stakeholder retaining ownership or control of their own initiative. The focus of this strategy is workforce development and retention, so as to avoid duplication of work already in progress with regard to initiatives on both Education and Careers within the industry. The term workforce explicitly includes all levels of people working within agricultural businesses, from new entrant/trainee to manager and proprietor. The strategy takes a UK-wide perspective of agriculture and horticulture but fully recognises the devolved responsibility and subsequent delivery within Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for many skills policies. It therefore does not look to develop country-specific action and delivery plans but merely seeks to set high-level objectives and actions that can be tailored to country-specific requirements. November 2013 Front Cover Photos courtesy of AHDB and Myerscough College

4 Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit FOREWORD With the publication of its Skills Strategy for Agriculture and Horticulture, in 2010, the AgriSkills Forum set out to pull together the many strands of the skills agenda in agriculture. It aimed to encourage the many organisations responsible for representing the interests of our industry to act in a concerted manner to address the twin issues of skills and recognition. The choice of title for that strategy, Towards a New Professionalism, was very deliberate, with the word professionalism chosen very carefully. Professionalism is a word that is used widely. But what does it actually mean? Is it just about doing a job competently or doing it well? Is it to do with running or contributing to a successful and profitable business or organisation? Whilst all this is fundamental to defining professionalism, there is more. Being professional is not simply about being competent. It is also about being able to demonstrate that competence, its continuous review and ongoing improvement. This process results not only in a better business but also helps inspire the confidence of others including society, employers or employees, new entrants and regulators. As well as helping to deliver a better bottom line, professionalism is one of the best ways we can promote our businesses and our industry. It is also one of the greatest ways we can defend it against those who would try and undermine us. I wrote in my foreword to Towards a New Professionalism that it was an exciting time for agriculture. Well, if it was exciting then it must surely be even more so now. We have seen the increasing demand for food and the vagaries of the climate contribute to record prices for many farm products, both at home and on world markets. We have, critically, also seen the importance of agriculture redefined by government. From being deemed to be the second least economically significant industry in the UK in 2009, it is now seen as being one of the keys to economic growth and export potential. The food industry is the UK s largest manufacturing sector and accounts for some 15% of its turnover and employment. This new found importance and the need to realise maximum potential has led to two very important initiatives - the AgriTech Strategy, sponsored jointly by BIS and Defra and The Future of Farming, sponsored by Defra. The very fact that BIS is now taking an interest in agriculture tells its own story. Yet, whilst much of the emphasis of and funding for the AgriTech Strategy centres on research and development (R&D), any resulting R&D and technology that flows from it will surely not maximise its bang for buck without a matching emphasis on developing the skills necessary on farm to realise its full potential. So, the imperative for a skilled and professional industry is yet more compelling. However, equally as exciting is that, with AHDB firmly committing itself to the skills agenda, we now have an organisation that has the will, the positioning and the capacity to help deliver the aspirations of Professionalism in Agriculture. AHDB s raison d'être is to make UK agriculture more competitive. With this strategy AHDB has addressed one of the most fundamental aspects of UK agriculture s drive to become more competitive. A truly professional industry, operating within a supportive economic environment provided by an empathetic government, will undoubtedly be more competitive. Richard Longthorp, November 2013 The AgriSkills Strategy represents a vital means for the development of a professional, competitive and highly skilled workforce for the agricultural sector. I welcome the industry s leadership on this important subject and look forward to working with industry to deliver this vision. Lord de Mauley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for natural environment and science Page 1

5 Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit INTRODUCTION With the global demand for food expected to rise by 60% by 2050, agricultural production will be placed under increasing pressure to provide more outputs at a time when the competition for inputs is intensifying. This means that not only will production efficiencies have to improve, but producers will need to become even more resilient and adaptable, to counter the impact of change, and the volatility of future markets. Several issues have been identified that prevent producers performing at maximum efficiency. These include, but are not limited to: relevant practical research, appropriate routes of knowledge exchange and the application of innovation at farm level. Some might argue that it is the lack of investment in the industry - both public and private - that is one of the main causes. Most would see such investment as being R&D, technology, new buildings or equipment. Yet to address the challenges described above, the development of skills and people within the industry has to be viewed as just as important an investment as these other areas. Indeed without the pre-requisite investment in skills and its human resource, it is unlikely that any other investment will realise its full potential. It is highly unlikely the potential of existing knowledge, facilities, genetics and, most importantly, the people employed is currently fully realised. Consequently farm incomes have been compromised and our industry is wrongly perceived as an unskilled, low paid, unattractive career choice. The challenges presented by the global increase in demand for food also, by definition, projects huge opportunities for growth throughout the UK s farm and food chain. However, to realise these opportunities, it is critical that any future investment in R&D is matched by investment in appropriate knowledge exchange and skills development. The integration and implementation of skills development and professional recognition into every business will pave the way to addressing many of the issues mentioned above and will help the industry improve its resilience and competiveness in a volatile market. The Future of Farming Review 1 and the AgriTech Strategy 2 both point towards an industry capable of demonstrating and recognising its skills to improve both productivity and export potential and prove its professionalism while doing so. There is also a need for greater co-ordination in relation to skills work. There are currently many organisations working to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of our industry through factual, evidence-based advice, information and activity. However, the industry will only thrive if these outputs are co-ordinated and effectively implemented both at the grass roots and throughout the knowledge and supply chain. This strategy draws on detailed research and the considerable achievements of the previous AgriSkills Forum strategy - Towards a New Professionalism 3 - which, through the efforts of forum members 4, has raised awareness of professionalism across the industry and placed skills development into everyday business practice. As a result Professionalism in Agriculture, which builds on Towards a New Professionalism, aims to move the agenda forward and describes the challenges facing the industry and the actions required, with recommendations to improve the uptake of skills and the overall public perception of the industry. 1 Future of Farming Review, Defra A UK Strategy for Agricultural Technologies, Defra Towards a New Professionalism, Agri Skills Forum Full list of members of the AgriSkills Forum is available at Page 2

6 Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit Today the term professionalism is used widely across society and may mean many things to many people. The AgriSkills Forum was very deliberate both in using the term and in its definition, which was: The participation in an activity for gain or reward with a high degree of competency that is clearly demonstrable, inspiring confidence. In other words it is not about competency per se, rather the combination of competency and its clear demonstration, which allows confidence to be inspired. So a professional industry is one that is not only competent and hence more likely to be productive, sustainable and resilient but also an industry that inspires confidence in its customers, is more attractive to new recruits and can defend itself against would-be detractors. To be successful in integrating and implementing professional development into the agricultural and horticultural industry, a shift in culture and collaboration is required from all parties. Skills development should no longer be viewed as a compliance issue which adds cost; it should be fully acknowledged that investment in continual professional development is vital to improving business performance, competitiveness and sustainability. Existing training schemes and current best practice need to be more widely implemented and recorded so that learning, skills provision and independent professional recognition is validated with minimal duplication and cost (both time and financial). Historical barriers to engagement (often quoted as cost, awareness, availability of relevant and local events, quality of provider and access to funding) need to be broken down and balanced against the direct and indirect benefits of taking part. Industry has to embrace this opportunity to safeguard its future by engaging in the development and roll out of this strategy. It is a strategy which makes a long term commitment to the improved generation, flow and implementation of knowledge exchange and innovation. Skills development must be channelled together into an overarching but non-specific, voluntary strategy. There is significant scope for different sectors to work under a common framework to share experiences and resources, focusing on generic issues such as leadership, management and business skills. Yet the overarching strategy needs to remain Non-specific to allow each sector to develop its own implementation plans for more specific issues. Equally, the strategy should remain voluntary to ensure that skills development and staff investment is seen as a business benefit rather than a "cost and compliance" issue. This strategy takes a broad, inclusive definition of skills. It believes any event which empowers the participant to improve and develop constitutes skills development. The primary focus for action lies in lifelong learning, which is professionally recognised regardless of the delivery method or qualification and maintains/enhances the skills of the workforce in line with changing demands to create a highly skilled, professional workforce. This should complement and build on the existing qualifications and schemes that prepare people for entry into the industry. Success will also be reliant on robust partnerships with all parts of the supply chain, from farms, processors and manufacturers to retail and food service, regulators, governments, Sector Skills Councils, learning providers and knowledge-transfer organisations. Only when all parties fulfil their part in delivering this strategy can the long term goal of an industry recognised for its professionalism, strengthened by its skills acquisition be realised. This will ensure an adaptable, viable and respected industry that is capable of meeting the needs of the 21 st century population. Page 3

7 Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit STRATEGIC AIMS This strategy and subsequent action plan aims to provide a framework for skills development across all sectors of the industry, with all key stakeholders working alongside each other to ensure the industry has a flexible, adaptable skills programme that is relevant to their needs and accessible at a local level. As a result this will help ensure: 1. A more profitable, sustainable and adaptable industry capable of meeting the future demands and challenges of agriculture and land management 2. An industry that recognises skills development and continual professional development is fundamental and integral to all businesses 3. An industry that has clear paths of progression for staff and simple access to demand led provision, regardless of sector or location 4. A world class, competent, innovative and highly skilled workforce, at every level, whose professionalism is recognised and rewarded 5. An industry that forms a robust skills development partnership with the wider food chain. This will allow supply chain leverage and joint working with government so there is maximum integration of policies and practice, with reduced repetition. BENEFITS OF A UK SKILLS OFFER A highly skilled and adaptable industry will not only be more productive and efficient right now, it will also lead to more sustainable businesses that are capable of facing future challenges and opportunities and embrace new technologies to become world leaders. An integrated whole industry approach to skills will be much greater than the sum of its parts. In addition, existing partnerships such as supply chains should be better utilised, with greater sharing of knowledge, facilities, funds or expertise, as appropriate, to ensure value is added without causing duplication or adding cost. Independent recognition of skills and professional development will help counter the perception that the industry is poorly skilled, simply because its workers lack formal qualifications. It will also clearly demonstrate an individual s commitment and ability through personal records. A system of earned recognition, where businesses can demonstrate recognised standards of competence, would present commercial opportunities to add value, reduce red tape, increase efficiency and reduce costs. However, there is currently limited scope to achieve this. Membership of professional recognition schemes, which provide the independent evidence required for earned recognition, will ultimately lead to the development and acknowledgement of a professional industry, at all levels, that continually strives to be world class through personal and business development. This allows the professional workforce to be recognised and rewarded accordingly and has the added benefit of improving the retention and future recruitment of quality staff. Page 4

8 Improving business performance through skills investment Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit The physical cost of training is easy to identify. However, the production and financial benefits of fully implementing training are less obvious and influenced by external factors. Even less obvious are the benefits gained from soft skills and the advantages of having a highly skilled and motivated management and workforce equipped for innovation. Defra s Farm Business Survey (FBS) 5 shows that producers/growers who have business 6 and leadership skills and implement business plans are more likely to display higher business performance than those that have yet to address these skills gaps. Without these skills, the full potential of technical training and staff will never be realised. While the 2012 FBS shows there has been an increase in the number of people indicating they would like further help with business management, the current figure still stands at less than 50% of respondents wanting to engage in further business management development, with only 12% looking for people management training. Perceptions of long periods off farm and high attendance fees can be specific barriers to uptake for this training, although a lack of awareness of need is also common. To move from the perception of skills as a cost and compliance issue, there is an urgent need to adequately demonstrate the benefits that accrue from investment in skills development and so enable it to be valued in the same way as any other investment. The production of case studies will be important, but industry needs to further develop courses that address these gaps and attract the right people. Owner/managers require help to recognise their own skill gaps, as well as those of their staff. Closing the business skills gap will take time but could be helped by introducing a blended learning programme which combines high level technical training with aspects of business training. Only when business owners fully appreciate the value of investment in skills at all levels will there be a significant change in the overall perception of, and participation in, skills development. Recognised and verified skills allow the true value of a professional industry to be appreciated by the supply chain and wider society through increased consumer confidence. Skills have particular relevance when it comes to achieving greater staff motivation and better recruitment, enabling businesses to have greater responsiveness and resilience. Safeguarding the future Historically, agricultural employers have problems finding people with the right skills level when looking to take on staff. Staff are needed at all skill levels, but with the industry constantly developing and more responsibility being given to individuals, it is likely new staff will require higher skills levels than the workers they will replace 7. Even if the current workforce was upskilled, there is still a critical need to attract and retain the people most capable of making the industry a future success. It is essential that the industry attracts, motivates and retains staff of high calibre, offering individuals the opportunity to grow and develop a career from within. In order to do this successfully, the industry needs to seize the initiative and demonstrate the professional, highly technical, innovative and fulfilling nature of what it does. Likewise businesses have to be willing to acknowledge improved skills and consequent effectiveness. This may be financially but alternative incentives such as flexible working, regular weekends off and increased responsibility are all tools used to retain quality staff. 5 Business Management Practices on Farm 2011/12, England, Defra May Inc risk management, marketing, accounting, IT etc. 7 A Skills Assessment for the Environmental and Land Based Sector, Lantra 2012 Page 5

9 SIMPLIFYING THE SKILLS AGENDA Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit Industry engagement with the formal skills agenda has traditionally been a challenge and as such, there is a need for greater integration of the entire knowledge chain. This particularly relates to the end user and those setting standards and designing qualifications. In return, industry needs to engage with training providers to give a clear idea of what it wants and provide feedback on the quality and impact of events, so as to enjoy a portfolio of relevant opportunities. Often described as hard-to-reach and with 88% of businesses employing four or less people 8, many farm businesses do not have HR departments or formal training budgets/plans. The physical and psychological barriers to uptake have already been mentioned and providers need to take these into account and be adaptable to industry requirements, ensuring events are targeted, rather than repeats of long-standing events/courses which are no longer as relevant. Around 53% 9 of employers provide some kind of training for their employees; this is primarily in technical skills which have an obvious, measurable benefit and, to a lesser extent, business skills. Training participation is increased when barriers are broken down. This is evident from previous and current Rural Development Programmes. The fragmented nature of the industry, alongside the overload of programmes and initiatives, can easily confuse those wanting to take part in skills development. The complexity of the current skills system is daunting and complicated; there are also challenges around the range of qualifications, complexity and variability of funding streams, inappropriate delivery mechanisms and lack of understanding as to where to source skills development. Education and knowledge exchange providers can improve this situation by working together to provide an industry-wide training platform, using everyday language that essentially hides the wiring from the customer. Funding providers need to fully understand the industry and its size. The actual impact of a course on a business and on the employability of candidates should be given as much consideration as the numbers that attend. The demand for some courses may be minimal in terms of numbers of attendees. Yet the impact that those who successfully complete the course can have on changing behaviour within their business and in acting as advocates to a wider constituency should not be underestimated. RECOGNISING AND INTEGRATING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT The current skills landscape shows a fragmented industry which has a number of drivers, not always complimentary or aligned with what the industry needs or demands. An overload of initiatives, schemes and policies adds to the confusion and regular policy changes serve to further alienate the average producer. The complexity and diverse nature of the agricultural sector means the challenges and risks the industry faces are equally complex and diverse, especially from a global perspective. While it is important that individual sectors develop and implement skills development solutions to meet their particular needs, an overarching co-ordinated work programme is required to reduce confusion and its associated waste of resources and finance. This strategy will only succeed if all the relevant bodies work together to achieve this. Success in creating and retaining industry involvement in skills development requires a good customer experience every time. Provision must be fit for purpose, meet expectations and be accessible at all stages of a career. Flexible, bite-sized learning that is specific to business requirements and delivered through well-tried methods is proven to be highly effective. There are now mechanisms to attach 8 LMI Factsheet England ( ), Lantra A Skills Assessment for the Environmental and Land Based Sector, Lantra Page 6

10 Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit national accreditation to some of this of training, such as the Edexcel Developing Skills BTEC award, City and Guilds Certificates of Competence and Lantra s Certificate in Land Based studies. However, it s vitally important to have a national scheme that independently verifies non accredited activity at a personal and business level and records this alongside accredited training. Such a scheme should be simple to use and should follow generic principles, regardless of sector, while allowing for specific requirements. It should be compatible with other schemes so as not to increase the burden, particularly for mixed enterprises, in terms of time, cost, duplication of paperwork and so on. Government initiatives and relationships With the publication of the AgriTech Strategy and the Future of Farming Review the importance government departments are now placing on skills in agriculture is growing. Both documents refer to, and call on, the AgriSkills Forum and its members to drive the skills agenda forward through a more co-ordinated approach. Both look to the industry for leadership and ownership of skills development, particularly in the areas of business and management skills. This is a perfect moment to build on existing relationships and develop new ones through industrial partnerships and greater co-operation. Equally, working more directly with government departments will help bridge the knowledge gap on both sides: it will help the departments understand the true needs of the industry and the impact different policies have on it; it will also allow the industry to better understand the political pressures behind policy changes. Direct and regular links should be made between the AgriSkills Forum and representatives from both government initiatives to fully exploit these opportunities. Similarly, the AgriSkills Forum is ideally placed to provide a representative view of industry needs to the next round of rural development funding and should be liaising with the relevant teams to ensure that the limited funding expected is delivered to industry in the most appropriate way. FUTURE SKILLS NEEDS Successful modern farming is a skilled operation that requires technical proficiency, business acumen and environmental awareness. It is recommended that the industry 10 : Sets a generic framework which supports sector specific systems for demonstrating, recording and promoting professional development. These systems should have an element of transferable information, so that one scheme works for people working in multiple sectors Improves skills relating to succession planning, risk management, business planning and project management Improves workforce competence and enhances specific technical skills to produce flexible, multiskilled individuals Develops wider skills in supervisory management, coaching and mentoring, customer service, animal welfare and environmental management Demands higher levels of business, leadership and management skills. 10 Adapted from A Skills Assessment for the Environmental and Land Based Sector, Lantra Page 7

11 ACTION PLAN TO DRIVE THE SKILLS AGENDA FORWARD Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit To achieve the aims described above, a sustained programme of activity is required. The first aim includes core activities of the AgriSkills Forum management group and as such progress will be reported back to the management group and case studies produced by all members on a regular basis. 1 Aim: A more profitable, sustainable and adaptable industry capable of meeting the future demands and challenges of agriculture and land management Increase the focus on skills development and recognition at all levels 1.2. Communicate the direct business benefits of engaging with skills development 1.3. Facilitate a common voice on major skills-related issues to governments and public, working together to find ways of achieving this so each organisation is represented 1.4. Encourage industry organisations to provide and maintain an adequate level of resource to enable a co-ordinated approach, reflecting the importance of the development of professionalism in the industry. To ensure timely delivery of the action plan, each Aim below has been set an objective and successful outcome and assigned a working group with a Chair person. Each working group will work to terms of reference established by the management group and will publish a work plan detailing the proposed actions/time frames and report back to the AgriSkills Forum management group at quarterly meetings. 2 Aim: An industry that recognises skills development and continual professional development is fundamental and integral to all businesses. Objective: Promotion of skills development as being central to business improvement and the concept of professionalism Increase industry participation and provision of leadership and business management training across all businesses, large and small, to improve sustainability and staff retention/recruitment 2.2. Develop individuals to ensure there are sufficient competent deliverers, facilitators, mentors and assessors to improve availability of training 2.3. Develop a real or virtual "gateway" through which individuals and businesses can quickly and easily access training, qualifications, assessment and funding. Successful outcome: An increase in current demand and uptake of leadership and business management training and case studies to show the benefits of such engagement. Simplified systems which allow all producers/growers to access information on training, qualifications, assessments and funding. 3 Aim: An industry that has clear paths of progression for staff and simple access to demand led provision, regardless of sector or location. Objective: Use skills development opportunities and professionalism so the industry continuously motivates and retains high quality staff. 3.1 Identify and develop industry champions to promote the industry and its professionalism to retain and motivate quality staff 3.2 To promote the benefits of learning opportunities for existing staff, via clear career progression pathways and promotion of the variety of opportunities available 3.3 Undertake research of skills gaps and skills priorities in the next decade and gain a more accurate insight into industry staff needs. Successful outcome: An improvement in the current retention rates of staff within the sector and evidence of progression through increased responsibility and/or uptake of qualifications. The production of clear career pathways for industry staff. Page 8

12 Professionalism in Agriculture people, progression, profit 4 Aim: A world class, competent, innovative and highly skilled workforce, at every level, whose professionalism is recognised and rewarded. Objective: Recognition of existing skills and skills development activities 4.1. Work with partners to develop new and further develop existing Professional Recognition schemes to create a fit for purpose framework of provision that enables professionalism to be authenticated and recorded, so that future mapping of provision can be completed 4.2. Gain Defra and other bodies support, ie enforcement agencies and assurance schemes, in the improved use of earned recognition 4.3. Work alongside the AgriTech Strategy to improve links and communication between industry, research institutes, education establishments, government departments, knowledge exchange providers, paraprofessionals, funders, and professionals, so that productivity is enhanced 4.4. Ensure industry professional recognition schemes follow the principles of the AgriSkills forum i.e. able to speak to one another, have a simple user interface and have a clear objective/benefit for the end user. The schemes should incorporate all the allied trades supporting the industry to reduce potential confusion. Successful outcome: Each industry sector has access to an independent professional recognition scheme which recognises, records and authenticates an individual s professional development. Each scheme will follow overarching principles, while allowing for specific industry needs and will be respected throughout the supply chain. 5 Aim: An industry that forms a robust skills development partnership with the wider food chain. This will allow supply chain leverage and joint working with government so there is maximum integration of policies and practice, without repetition. Objective: Support Defra and BIS in their engagement with other government departments 5.1. Be proactive in communication with Defra and BIS to enable them to play an active part in influencing relevant government initiatives across departments that fund and influence policy and advice on education and skills provision 5.2. Provide governments with effective leadership from industry which consistently promotes the need for professionalism and actively supports the need for on-going partnerships with relevant government departments, to secure long term viability and develop professionalism 5.3. Work with Defra to ensure a better understanding of the need to undertake skills impact assessments, so that there is no negative impact on skills recognition and skills development in future government policies 5.4. Work with Defra, BIS and other departments to investigate more effective and efficient ways to enable funds to flow into the sector to achieve the strategy s objectives 5.5. Work with other providers to improve the integration and utilisation of training resources and provision across the supply chain and work with BIS/Defra to ensure AgriTech inspired centres collect relevant data. Successful outcome: An increased understanding from government departments and a more proactive approach to the implementation of policies which impact on skills in the industry. Simple access to government funds to upskill, based on real industry demand. Page 9