Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund - Equality Impact Assessment

Recommendations and Conclusion

Our assessment is that the fund is likely to have a positive impact across all (in scope) protected characteristics. This is because:

• Promotional communications and any materials related to applying to the fund will be designed in line with accessibility guidance and best practice ensuring inclusive language is used in relation to all protected characteristics, for example, use of inclusive pronouns. Case studies that potential applicants can see will have a balance of male/ female individuals.
• Building on this, in response to specific feedback and evidence we will include an FAQ to address specific concerns that workers with protected characteristics may have in applying for the fund, for example, promoting the person-centred approach, the exceptions process, and funding assessment process. The aim of this will be to support wider participation in the fund and monitoring with delivery partner will make this outcome more likely.
• SG will work with our delivery partner to ensure monitoring and evaluation processes are put in place to assess how people with protected characteristics are engaging with the fund.
• SG is reviewing monitoring and evaluation outcomes from the Pilot to establish how people with protected characteristics have engaged with the fund. SG, with our delivery partner, will ensure any required changes are implemented for TTF to make a positive impact across all (in scope) protected characteristics more likely, and a principal of continuous improvement amongst protected characteristics will be in place during the operational phase of TTF.

How Equality Impact analysis has shaped the policy making process

Some of the TTF mechanisms - such as the concept of a person-centred careers service and the tailored training provision arising from this - were designed to promote equality of opportunity in the Pilot. However, because of this EQIA process, some additional adjustments have been made to further reduce barriers to, and positively address access to, this fund for people with protected characteristics. These include:

Ensuring the application process is as inclusive as possible.

We will work with the delivery partner to mitigate any potential negative impacts of a first-come-first serve basis for assessing applications. This means individuals who may find it difficult to apply in a timely manner due to a protected characteristic will be fairly considered for funding.

We will ensure all relevant accessibility guidance is followed in the design of the TTF application process from the delivery partner. This will include making sure that there are alternative routes to apply (other than a main web portal). These approaches should help encourage workers with protected characteristics to apply for the fund. The TTF has considered feedback and lessons learned from the Pilot and implemented the necessary changes for the application process.

By putting in place an exceptions process for individuals who have been out of the O&G workforce for longer than two years, we will ensure individuals with protected characteristics, such as those on a career break who are more likely to be women with caring responsibilities, are not indirectly excluded from applying to this fund. This is intended to address the Pilot findings of imbalance related to male/ female access.

Ensuring the communications plan is also inclusive

We will work with the delivery partner to ensure that any materials promoting the fund use inclusive language across all protected characteristics. Activity will include signposting the exceptions process, the person-centred approach, and the provision of flexible training and information on how funding will be allocated. In real-life case studies we will ensure that women who have successfully accessed the Pilot fund feature prominently.

We will additionally work with trade unions and industry stakeholders to ensure the fund is promoted to as many workers as possible – including onshore and offshore workforce - and workers who may be on maternity leave or extended career break.

Monitoring and Review

SDS will be expected to collect and monitor data regarding the applicants to the fund. Information about applications will be provided to Scottish and UK Government’s in aggregate, with no personal information included.

One aspect of findings from Pilot data which will be closely monitored is the relatively low percentage of female applicants in the Pilot. The measures noted above will be kept under review to address this issue.

During monitoring, the changing context of TTF will be examined to determine policy interventions more widely to mitigate related areas where protected characteristics are not supported. The impact on people more broadly will be limited or only marginal due to the scale of TTF.

Examples of policy landscape to consider during review are the UK Government’s North Sea Jobs Service, or the progress of Making Scotland’s Future: A Recovery Plan for Manufacturing.