Landing a job

Joyce Campbell discusses Women In Wellies – page 6

The Cairngorms National Park hosted a brilliant Women in Wellies day this week with more than 170 girls from five secondary schools local to the national park making their way to hear from a wide range of female speakers who work outdoors.

The opening slide which showed the shocking statistics on a projected deficit of available people across rural communities to fill job vacancies in the future certainly highlighted the need for new blood.

Each speaker took a turn at describing their current job and the way their career paths have progressed and changed.

Jo O’Hara, who heads up Forestry Commission Scotland, showed her professional journey through the type of footwear she has worn during her career.

On starting work with the commission she wore a pair of Argyll wellies and now has on standby a pair of very glitzy high heels that she wears to the black-tie functions she attends for work.

Young gamekeeper Megan Rowland advised the audience not to dismiss what has been perceived in the past as traditionally male-dominated careers.

She outlined her journey and now describes herself as a land manager, deer stalker, reader, writer, climber and cook.

Her image is certainly a far cry from the gun-wielding Larysa Switlyk who dominated the press as she posed with a dead goat after her recent hunting trip to Islay.

A flexible approach, together with the confidence to change your career path at any stage of your life, no matter your age, holds a very empowering message.

This need for continuous personal development and confidence was what I learned from meeting the amazing Lindy Nelson, the chief executive of Agri-Women’s Development Trust in New Zealand (AWDT).

Lindy met the Women in Agriculture taskforce and spoke at an open event we held in Perth to a cross-section of women and men involved in our industry.

Lindy said leadership is not positional but is actually reflected in the actions which we take within our communities and the organisations in which we work.

To secure a place on the AWDT’s highly sought-after Escalator program, applicants do not disclose their age or their qualifications. They don’t get interviewed in the selection process – but their referees do.

This means any preconceived ideas which many of us have on what leaders look like are removed. It is no longer the old “you look like a leader so therefore you will be chosen to lead”, has been replaced by character and ability.

The AWDT’s programs – Escalator, Understanding Your Farming Business, Its All About YOU and Future Focus – are transforming how women and men perceive themselves and work within New Zealand’s agricultural industry. The trust wants everyone to come on the journey of improvement – not just the select few.

Here we need new blood and we need new thinking. I’ve been inspired from meeting young women who are starting out on the first steps of their career ladder right through to women at the top of their game in their chosen land-based professions.

Scottish agriculture has many talented people working within it, but we’re not always very good at recognising where they lie.

Picture: Ross Elder. Jo O’Hara, Forestry Commission Scotland, with footwear worn on her career journey.