Transferable skills in land-based and aquaculture sectors: review

5. Interview findings

This chapter presents findings from interviews with key stakeholders across Scotland’s land-based and aquaculture sectors. Participants generally agreed that IT skills and people skills like teamwork and communication are crucial but under-recognised transferable skills, highlighting the importance of developing these skills across the sectors. While some technical skills can be transferred between professions, others are specialised and more difficult to transfer. Looking ahead, IT skills and knowledge of conservation are expected to become increasingly important across both sectors. Additionally, participants recognised several benefits of skill transfer but also identified barriers.

5.1. Transferability of non-technical skills

• Across the interviews, there was broad consensus that the skills identified as most transferable in previous stages of the research – particularly IT skills and people skills like communication – are highly transferable.
• However, these skills are currently lacking across the sectors and represent key areas for future skills development.
• Additionally, other skills, such as business and financial management, were highlighted as being highly transferable across professions and industries.

The final stage of the research involved interviews with 10 key stakeholders from Scotland’s land-based and aquaculture sectors. Across the interviews, there was a consensus that the skills identified as most transferable in the evidence review and content analysis were indeed highly applicable across sectors. Verbal communication, in particular, was emphasised for its strong transferability, as it is closely tied to emotional intelligence and big-picture thinking, both of which facilitate workforce mobility. Additionally, communication was recognised as critical across sectors, especially since many job roles involve dangerous environments:

“Verbal communication…is very important because it can be a dangerous environment they're working in, and they need the young person or new entrant to be confident enough to ask questions and to communicate what they've been doing”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

All interviewees underscored the significance of IT skills, affirming their transferability. Teamwork was also consistently highlighted as transferable. However, one interviewee noted that the nature of teamwork can vary across industries. For instance, teamwork in aquaculture may involve collaborating in large teams, while in agriculture, it may focus on engaging with smaller, family-based teams.

There was widespread agreement that certain transferable skills, particularly verbal communication and IT skills, represent significant skills gaps within the sectors. Multiple interviewees emphasised that verbal communication is a crucial area for skills development. Two participants noted that some workers are missing key verbal communication and teamwork skills. One attributed these gaps to widespread misconceptions that land-based and aquaculture roles do not require these abilities:

“Often in school the teacher or the career advisor’s perspective of the sector will be that if you're going into land based, you're on your own, you don't have to speak to anyone…and also sometimes some of the pupils who struggle with the verbal communication and the teamwork side are much happier, or appear to be much happier, and learning better when they're outside and not talking to anyone…So it’s almost like they've been steered towards the career, but they're much more likely to be lacking in something the sector classes as being absolutely essential.” (Land-based skills training organisation)

All interviewees agreed that digital skills also represent a gap across the sectors. The skills identified as missing ranged from basic digital literacy, such as computer use, to more advanced skills like programming and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This gap was seen as a critical area of focus for the sectors moving forward, as workers in these sectors risk falling behind due to the increasing automation and digitalisation across all industries:

“Some are urgent, such as developing IT skills. They’re not just important, they’re also urgent. I do feel concerned about…the lack of digital literacy in some land-based industries and how that is going to put those industries on the back foot”. (Enterprise body)

Several additional non-technical skills were identified as transferable that were less prevalent in the evidence review and content analysis. One interviewee emphasised the importance of having a knowledge of health and safety:

“Health and safety, I don't think anybody gets away from. If you're looking for a transferable skill within the sector across all the industries, health and safety is one that will be there throughout”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

Four interviewees highlighted the transferability of financial and business management skills. The evidence review suggested that these skills were transferable for senior employees. However, a representative from an agriculture body noted that the prevalence of small businesses across the sectors makes these management skills particularly relevant and transferable for all workers, as many small businesses depend on employees who possess both strong management abilities and manual skills. Additionally, these skills were mentioned as crucial for understanding the financial value of natural resources, which is applicable across industries. Importantly, financial and business management skills were highlighted as vital for the future sustainability of land-based and aquaculture businesses and the sectors as a whole. Furthermore, one interviewee emphasised that financial and business management skills are underdeveloped across the sectors and represent a further important area for further skills training.

5.2. Transferability of technical skills

• Interviewees had mixed views on the transferability of technical skills.
• Some roles require highly specialised technical skills that may not be easily transferable between professions or industries.
• However, many technical skills and knowledge are transferable, including advanced digital skills, 360 excavator operation, and tree planting.

The transferability of technical skills was a key area of focus during the interviews, as the Lantra data used in the content analysis had more of a focus on non-technical skills. Interviewees were asked whether they believed there were any technical skills that could be easily transferred between professions and industries across the sectors.

Interviewees had mixed responses on this topic. Several participants pointed out that technical skills are often specific to certain professions and can be difficult to transfer. Compared to other sectors, many jobs require specialist technical skills, making the transfer of technical skills more challenging:

“Within land-based, you've got a very high number of very specialist roles… some might need a chainsaw… some might need an ATV [All-terrain vehicle] for another…some might need a spraying ticket”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

“You could imagine that someone who's a farm worker and has experience of operating heavy machinery and being in the outdoors and all the rest of it could do that peatland restoration. But actually…that really [isn't] necessarily the case, and you'd be using different machinery, and some of the work to dig the ground is hugely technical”. (Land-based education provider)

However, three participants pointed out that it may be possible to transfer skills in operating machinery from one context to another. The use of 360 excavators and rough terrain forklifts was highlighted as particularly transferable:

“360 excavators get used widely across numerous industries”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

“Farmers will use rough terrain forklifts. They will also be used in aquaculture to move supplies and stuff around. They'll be used within the forestry industry at times and stuff as well”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

However, three interviewees noted that while these skills may be transferable, individuals must receive training on how to operate machinery in a new industry or environment. This training was emphasised as crucial due to the risks associated with operating machinery in unfamiliar settings without the necessary knowledge. Furthermore, several participants noted a key concern in the sectors: skill in operating machinery like 360 excavators and forklifts could lead workers to transfer out of the sectors to industries like construction or energy where higher wages may be offered.

Several other technical skills were identified as potentially transferable between professions or industries. Agriculture was noted as sharing overlapping technical skills with the wildlife management industry, particularly in deer management, as farmers often perform similar tasks:

“[Farmers] are used to working out there, they're used to driving quad bikes around. They're used to dealing with carcasses, you know, sheep or whatever”. (Nature body)

Estate management skills were also noted as transferring to other industries:

“Drystone walling, path works, some of the general what I'd call the estate maintenance type activities, even basic plumbing on kind of land holding…are key things that will be transferable as well. And drainage works again will crossover quite heavily, particularly around forestry”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

Additionally, advanced IT skills such as drone operation and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) skills were noted as becoming increasingly transferable:

“The use of drones is becoming more prevalent across many of the industries…whether it's even kind of like pollination in polytunnels and things with fruit crops through to more typically surveying land, deer counts, a whole range of things”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

Drone operation and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were also mentioned by another participant as being important for managing deer. Indeed, advanced digital skills were consistently noted as highly relevant and transferable. Relatedly, several interviewees pointed out that training workers in digital data management and analysis would help them transition between professions, given the high transferability of these skills.

Some areas of technical knowledge were also perceived as transferable. Knowledge of the external environment and how to work outdoors in challenging weather conditions was noted as transferable. Two participants mentioned the transferability of knowledge of soil and the ability to identify plants, particularly in relation to agriculture, conservation, and horticulture:

“Soils, almost everything comes back to soil management…plant ID, that's also really transferable and being able to identify plants…knowing how to work out which plant is which is really transferable”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

“Planting the right plant in the right place at the right time and also in terms of soil health and all that type of thing…with horticulture, all that type of thing naturally transfers across”. (Agricultural body)

Several interviewees emphasised the growing transfer of skills between the forestry and agriculture industries. Two participants mentioned that some core agricultural skills, such as fencing and chainsaw use, are transferable to the forestry industry. Additionally, multiple interviewees noted that forestry skills are becoming more relevant in agriculture, especially as farmers and crofters look to take advantage of new Scottish Government woodland creation grant schemes.^[55]

Overall, Table 1 shows the technical skills that participants mentioned as transferable and highlights between which industries they may be transferable between.

5.3. The evolution of transferable skills

• Transferable skills are evolving, with conservation and biodiversity knowledge seen as increasingly important for the future.
• Digital skills are growing in importance and are highly transferable.
• The Just Transition is increasing the demand for cross-sector skills and making some skills more transferable.

Participants noted that the nature of skills is evolving across the land-based and aquaculture sectors. Representatives from skills training organisations and education providers emphasised the importance of considering how skills are changing and what will be needed in the next decade. Skills related to the Just Transition and ‘green skills’ were highlighted as crucial for the future, particularly IT skills and knowledge of conservation. However, several interviewees noted uncertainty about the exact skills that the sector workforces would need in the future.

Supporting findings from the evidence review, representatives of all industries acknowledged the growing importance of both basic and advanced IT skills in the context of increasing automation in the sectors and the Just Transition:

“Digital definitely crosscuts…across all of the job roles that we're going to see. We definitely know that digital skills are going to be such a big part [of the future]”. (Skills body)

For example, one participant pointed out that agriculture workers increasingly need basic digital skills to apply for grants and funding:

“With the new changes to agricultural support…everything is becoming more digitalised. It used to be that when you became a crofter and you signed up for your payments, you could just do that all through paper forms…And it is overall an ageing population in crofting sadly. So, you know, those skills are even more required”. (Agriculture body)

Another participant noted that increasing automation in agriculture will require workers to have advanced digital skills, such as managing and deploying robotic technologies. They also noted that data management and analysis will become more important:

“Data management, analysis, all that type of thing is going to be increasingly important. Also, in terms of the machines, you know, the tractors and all that type of thing. Precision agriculture. That's all going to be really, really important going forward”. (Agriculture body)

Additionally, another participant mentioned that workers increasingly need mapping and digital skills, like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), due to the Scottish Government's new ‘whole farm plan’ requirements for audits and mapping.^[56] Geographic Information Systems (GIS) skills were also highlighted as becoming more important across the sectors, aligning with findings from the evidence review and content analysis. Importantly, both basic and advanced IT skills have been identified as highly transferable throughout this report.

Five participants mentioned that as the Just Transition progresses, workers will also need to acquire more knowledge about sustainability, conservation, and biodiversity. This will include technical knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, and grant schemes related to conservation to ensure compliance:

“There probably more that needs to be done [with] carbon markets and these new nature markets… there's also potentially water and biodiversity credits…it’s all fairly new to the sector. So there is a need to increase understanding of how these markets operate”. (Forestry body)

However, two participants expressed concern that there was not enough support for workers trying to upskill in ‘green skills’ and conservation knowledge:

“Farmers will need to have more of a focus on things like climate change, net zero, you know, climate mitigation, adaptation. And to be honest, I don't think there really is any training or skills on that just now”. (Agriculture body)

Furthermore, the Just Transition is leading to greater interconnectedness between professions. Jobs like agroforestry were highlighted as increasingly crossing sectoral boundaries, causing skills to become more inherently transferable:

“Agriculture and agroforestry are a bit more overlapped...so you sometimes have more farmers who've kind of talked about the use of trees. So they class themselves as an agroforester. So there's these hybrid job roles coming out. Regenerative aquaculture is also now a thing. So that's come over from agriculture”. (Land-based skills training organisation)

Both forestry and agriculture representatives also highlighted that tree planting and forestry skills are in demand across a wider range of professions than ever before.

5.4. Benefits of transferable skills

• Enhancing transferable skills can help workers diversify their income, access funding, and provide the flexibility to move between industries.
• Improving transferable skills can also create indirect benefits, such as fostering creativity, broadening perspectives, and providing social networks and support from other industries.

Interviewees highlighted several benefits of developing transferable skills for both workers and the wider sector. A representative from an agricultural body noted that enhancing workers’ transferable skills could help them diversify their sources of income. They shared the experience of one agricultural worker:

“There's a crofter who wanted to carry out peatland restoration on his croft, but it's quite skilled…And there wasn't anyone to do it, so he learned how to do it himself. And he did his own croft, and now he is skilled so that he can go and sort of carry that out elsewhere…so I guess it can give people options for diversifying their income”. (Agriculture body)

Several other benefits of improving workers’ transferable skills were also noted. Several participants mentioned that improving workers’ transferable skills would make them feel their skills were more relevant, boosting their confidence and improving job security. One participant also noted that improving workers’ transferable skills would also benefit employers, as it would widen their talent pool when recruiting. Furthermore, enhancing transferable skills can help workers access new funding opportunities, as exemplified by agricultural workers using new tree planting skills to secure funding.

Improving transferable skills can also bring indirect benefits. For instance, one participant stated that improving transferable skills could provide workers with a broader perspective or offer them the ability to move between industries:

“[It gives them] probably maybe a more open attitude. Probably a little bit more perspective as well in terms of the bigger picture…in terms of employee development, it gives them the opportunity to think about or move on to something else, if that's what is working for them”. (Agriculture body)

Learning new skills can encourage creative thinking about their work or the future direction of their business. Additionally, one interviewee stated that improving transferable skills could have social benefits, such as helping workers network during upskilling courses. This participant also highlighted that it can be valuable for workers to feel they have support networks in other industries where they can seek advice or guidance.

5.5. Barriers to skill transfer

• Workers in the sectors face several barriers to skill transfer between professions and industries, including mindset and a lack of confidence.
• Other obstacles, such as a lack of short-term accommodation or the timing of seasonal work, may also prevent skill transfer.
• Participants highlighted additional barriers to transferable skills upskilling, including limited business capacity and the location of training courses.

Participants identified several barriers to the effective transfer of skills between industries and professions, with mindset being a key obstacle mentioned in multiple interviews. One participant explained that even when workers have transferable skills, they may struggle to adapt due to the differing mindsets required in roles:

“You've almost got to have a different mindset as a peatland restorer. Because, you know, house construction, for example, which is kind of, you know, get them up as quickly as possible…peatland restoration is a much more long-term project, and you've got to have a different mindset that you might do this work and actually never see the end of it”. (Land-based education provider)

Additionally, another participant noted that workers may lack confidence in applying their skills outside of their usual environment. One interviewee further pointed out that negative perceptions of other industries could prevent workers from using their skills in those sectors. Furthermore, workers who are thriving in their current roles may be reluctant to transition into new industries:

“They might have all the transferable skills in the world, but if they're doing really well in what they're doing currently, they're not going to want to move into peatland restoration, or regenerative agriculture, or tree planting”. (Land-based education provider)

Awareness was also consistently identified as a barrier. For example, supporting findings from the evidence review, one interviewee highlighted that employers and workers may lack understanding of which skills are transferable, which can prevent them from having the confidence to hire or apply for new jobs in different industries.

Furthermore, while many workers may possess transferable skills, there are other barriers to transitioning between industries or professions, particularly for seasonal workers. One participant noted that many seasonal jobs coincide at the same time of year, making it difficult for workers to utilise their transferable skills and move between them. Other obstacles include a lack of short-term accommodation for seasonal workers in many rural areas. However, two interviewees mentioned that some individuals do work multiple seasonal jobs within the sector. One recommended that future research explores how these individuals manage their roles and effectively utilise transferable skills across different positions.

Participants also identified several barriers to upskilling workers in transferable skills. Multiple interviewees highlighted business capacity as a significant obstacle, echoing the findings of the evidence review that many businesses struggle to allocate the time and resources needed for worker training:

“There’s a barrier around small businesses…being able to afford to come off their land and go to some college…these small businesses…don't have an HR [Human Resources] department that can…do a quarterly assessment to know what's your needs and how can we address them”. (Nature body)

The location of many training courses was also noted as a key issue, as land-based and aquaculture workers in rural areas often face long travel distances to access training. One participant further suggested that some rural training providers have recently reduced land-based and aquaculture courses due to budget constraints, exacerbating this challenge. While online courses could help address this issue, a representative from an agricultural body highlighted that the lack of digital skills across the sectors is an additional barrier, as many workers are unable to use computers to access online training.

Several upskilling barriers related to attitude were also identified. Two participants noted that workers were often reluctant to engage in soft skills training because they were unsure how these skills would benefit them or did not see their value:

“There's a barrier in terms of attitude…the employer's attitude and also the workers attitude in terms of how does it benefit me?”. (Agriculture body)

Another participant highlighted that many workers find upskilling courses intimidating, particularly if they typically work in small teams and are not accustomed to engaging with others in a formal learning environment.

5.6. Summary

The interview findings broadly support the findings of the evidence review and content analysis, indicating that IT skills and people skills like teamwork and verbal communication are important transferable skills across the sectors. These skills are also key gaps and are therefore important areas for skill development. Furthermore, both basic and advanced IT skills are expected to become more important due to increasing automation and the Just Transition.

The interviews also highlighted several transferable skills that were not identified in earlier stages, such as business and finance management, as well as specific technical skills like certain types of machinery use, tree planting, the ability to identify different plants, and data management and analysis. Additionally, barriers to transferable skills development were highlighted, including limited access to training courses and business capacity. Nevertheless, enhancing workers' transferable skills can have social and economic benefits, from enabling income diversification to increasing networking opportunities.