Balcaskie is a classic example of a modern rural estate – tucked away in the East Neuk of Fife, the core of the business is a mixed farm producing cereals, beef and lamb, but in more recent times, Balcaskie has diversified to include renewable energy installations, commercial and residential property lets, a pub and an events space. The estate employs over 20 full-time staff across each of the different enterprises. Environmental management also makes up a significant focus of the estate’s workload and includes co-operation with RSPB, neighbouring land managers and other organisations.
Balcaskie also faces a very modern challenge when it comes to the recruitment and retention of staff. In the past, estates would employ large workforces, each a specialist in their own area. Succession was largely through apprenticeships, with senior staff members mentoring younger trainees until they developed the experience and skills to do the job. Today, farms have far smaller workforces and the job has become more complex with the introduction of new farming methods and technology, each requiring a greater breadth of skills. The range of jobs has also increased, particularly on estates that have diversified. As a result, new people coming into the industry are expected to have a broader range of skills. This has put more pressure on existing staff and has made training more demanding for new recruits, effectively shrinking the pool of available talent in recent years.
As a growing business, Balcaskie was finding it increasingly hard to find ‘work ready’ staff, with skills limited across a breadth of job roles. Previous attempts to recruit new employees had been unsuccessful, with the calibre of applications limiting the quality of candidates. The business was changing and they were struggling to keep up with the increased workload to a high standard. Balcaskie’s solution was to increase investment in staff training, whilst bringing trainees into the business through the Modern Apprenticeship scheme.
Sam Parsons, Manager of Balcaskie Estate said: “We quickly realised we needed to invest more, not only in our own staff, but in young people coming out of school through the Modern Apprenticeship scheme. In 2016, we took on a young apprentice who became a valuable member of the team, gaining experience and assisting with all aspects of the estate, from construction, hedge planting, livestock management to arable work and volunteering on RHET school visits. He was able to work in a variety of situations with different people and his assistance has allowed us to reduce our reliance on contract work, saving time and money. An unintentional benefit is that existing staff were motivated to pass on their skills to our apprentice, and are now keen to develop themselves.”
Balcaskie has gone on to recruit two further apprentices since 2016, as part of a longer-term plan to introduce new talent to the estate.
In addition to the Modern Apprenticeship scheme, Balcaskie actively seeks out skills training for staff members. Sam continues: “We recently sent our stockman on a four-day ‘foot trimming’ course. Investing in skills training has a number of positive effects. The more obvious is the acquisition of new skills or honing existing skills, but perhaps less obvious are the subtle benefits, such as motivation and encouraging a more proactive thought process. For example, having a knowledge of the risks of poor foot hygiene and its effect on the health of the cattle has a strong motivating effect.”
Sam also believes that training instils confidence in a worker’s ability, both from the perspective of the employer and the employee: “Part of our drive to become fully organic is to use natural dung fertilizer. This means we have to take regular samples to check for parasites. Previously, our employees did not have the confidence because they weren’t sure what to look for. Since the training, I can see more confidence and self-belief in the decisions being made, which means the job gets done more quickly and to a far higher standard.”
The team at Balcaskie also provide onsite vocational training in subjects like fencing, stone-diking and hedge planting. For example, they’ll bring on a stone mason to teach employees how to build walls, or use members of staff to provide training to their less experienced colleagues. However, Sam believes that skills gaps make vocational training difficult for certain tasks: “There’s currently a shortage of decent workshop training and not enough trainers available. Some skills are definitely harder to acquire than others, which can be frustrating. Relying on contractors to cover skills shortages is not only expensive, but means you cannot respond to opportunities and your ability to react to situations is limited.”
Despite the benefits of investing in skills training, there are challenges to overcome. Sam believes that schools could promote the benefits of vocational routes into work more, and is keen to stress that land-based careers can be rewarding options for all pupils, regardless of how many or how few qualifications they have. Sam said: “The vast majority of candidates that come to us aren’t there because they have a passion for it. They come because someone suggested they should give it a go and this can affect their motivation. If schools could help young people to see the attractions of a career in the land-based sector more clearly, I firmly believe it would lead to a better outcome for everyone. We would see a better quality of candidate and more young people would be able to enjoy careers in rural Scotland".
He also believes that it’s important for employers to keep colleges and training providers informed about the skills they are looking for, as this will help ensure qualifications are fit for purpose. He continued, “The new Rural Skills Modern Apprenticeship largely came about due to employer demand and has proved pretty successful in delivering many of the skills required by a modern estate such as Balcaskie.”
One of the greatest employment threats facing farms today is the aging workforce and Sam sees the Modern Apprenticeship as crucial to filling the gap. “The average age of our workforce is 50. In just over a decade, we’ll be facing multiple retirements, so it’s important we have a succession plan in place. The Modern Apprenticeship is an effective way to introduce new people into the industry, and then it’s up to the employer to ensure they get the training and mentorship they need to continually improve and develop. Farms also need to build a positive reputation for themselves to attract the best talent. We’ve got to learn new marketing skills to get our names out there, which is both a challenge and a great opportunity for modern estates.”
