While technical expertise is essential, the success of businesses increasingly hinges on the people and the “life skills” of your workforce.

When we’re talking about the life skills an employer needs to have, what do we mean?

For leaders, developing a life-skills-focused culture begins with self-reflection.

Having the right technical skills is just one piece of the puzzle.  Equipping your workforce with strong life skills is essential to building a resilient, adaptable and future-proof team

Those joining the workforce need to see and feel the opportunities and we need to attract, retain and develop them if we are going to unlock the potential ahead of us. And that includes developing life skills.

When recruiting staff, how you specify the level of skill or competence that you need applicants to have is important.
Here’s exactly the resource you need to guide you.

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Bosses of leading food & drink organisations have gone back to the workfloor to experience life as an “apprentice for a day”.

With Scotland's unemployment rate at an all-time low, there is fierce competition to attract a skilled and flexible workforce.

Can your business offer a hand to deliver a world-leading STEM education, and in turn benefit from inspiring young people and building a pipeline of talent in the food & drink industry?

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As a food & drink employer, are you using the full talent potential of your existing workforce? From funding to top tips, checklists to training guides, our article on growing your own talent can help you make the most of your workforce

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Being an employer of choice is an important priority for North Uist Distillery.

So they set down their three aims for the business: to put Uist on the whisky map, to be carbon neutral; and to be the best employer on the island.

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Lanarkshire-based ingredients supplier R&W Scott is the first UK food manufacturer to be named as both a Living Wage and Living Hours accredited employer.

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The Castleton Code guides the team at Castleton Farm towards creating a positive workplace culture.

They all played their part in creating it, and this case study explains why and how it came about.

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There’s a shortage of skills in the food & drink industry and nowhere is this more evident than in butchery.

Hugh Black and Sons is taking a versatile approach to recruiting and retaining its workforce.

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When you’re recruiting, it is definitely worth spending a bit of time and effort in the planning to get the best selection of candidates. Here’s some resources to help you.

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Keeping traditional skills alive plays an important part in our food & drink industry.

James McLaren has made the Forfar bridie in the Angus town for 130 years. How do they manage their skills?

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Hands up if you think an apprentice is a teenager joining the workplace for the first time?

Then you are underestimating the power of apprenticeships to transform your workforce, regardless of their age and skillset.

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Michelle Maddox of Clootie McToot explains why keeping an open mind on recruitment “risks” can pay dividends.

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We all know that lurch of anxiety when someone unexpectedly hands in their notice. A bit of time and effort spent on workforce planning means you shouldn’t be rushing around trying to fix the situation with makeshift solutions.

This article highlights useful resources to put you on the workforce planning path to becoming more resilient, successful and ultimately profitable.

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Building a better workforce is the driving force behind Reid’s commitment to apprenticeships, and Gary Reid is very clear that the workforce is better as a result.

In the last 10 years or so, his business Reid’s of Caithness has put over 35 members of the Thurso-based team through apprenticeships.

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Bakkafrost Scotland is helping to deliver world-leading STEM education and in turn benefit from inspiring young people and building a pipeline of talent in the food & drink industry.

How? By signing team members up as STEM Ambassadors.

Publication type: pdf