student recruitment news april 2009

Student Recruitment NewsStudent Recruitment News

April 2009

Green Collar Jobs

The drive to combatclimate change byreducing greenhousegas emissions isstimulating expansionof the renewableenergy and environ-mental sectors andcreating new careeropportunities in“Green Collar Jobs”.

At the Low CarbonIndustrial StrategySummit in March 2009,Gordon Brown, thePrime Minister forecast:

“… millions of the new jobs of the future can be lowcarbon jobs: green jobs that will inspire a newgeneration of school leavers about their futurecareers... In Britain, …we can expect 400,000 newenvironmental sector jobs over the next eight years- with a total of 1.3 million people employed in thesesectors by 2017.””

SAC’s Green Technology courses were designedto provide graduates with the scientific andtechnical skills required for this emerging sectorof employment.

These HND and degree courses, which have beenrunning since 2007, focus particularly on thedevelopment of renewable resources in ruralareas, covering a range of small-scale renewableenergy systems, including wind, solar, hydro andgeothermal sources, as well as the generation ofheat and power from biomass and the digestionof wastes for biogas. Students also explore thesustainable production of biofuel crops and thelatest technologies for producing biofuels fromalgae or from wastes. With associated training inenergy efficiency, waste management, ruralplanning and environmental impact assessment,Green Technology graduates will be well equippedto gain jobs as researchers, consultants or projectmanagers and contribute to this “GreenTechnological Revolution”.

SAC also offers a range of Environmental coursessuch as Sustainable Environmental Management,Environmental Protection, and Rural ResourceManagement, as well as Scotland’s only course inSustainable Building Design.

A longer version of this article can be found bydownloading the “Green Collar Jobs” PDF fromthe SAC web site.

NEW COURSE:Professional Gardening DiplomaTraining A New Generation Of Gardeners

In response to industrydemand, SAC is launchinga brand new, two-yearcourse designed for a newgeneration of headgardeners. The Diploma inProfessional Gardeningwill combine the theoreticalknowledge of a HigherNational Certif icate inHorticulture with widepractical experience andequip its graduates withskills that are very much indemand.

The SAC course follows the kind of recommendationsmade in an industry-wide survey.

"Giving students a broad range of experience, the chanceto specialise and an expansive education early on will bean enormous benefit to the horticultural trade as a whole"

"In my experience the skills needed to effectively run anhistoric garden are quite different from those needed forworking in a commercial landscape maintenance team"

Local authorities, owners of large gardens open to thepublic and those maintaining plant collections areconcerned that the present generation of skilled andexperienced senior managers is ageing. They are activelysupporting this initiative by SAC which is designed to offerthe right candidates a sound start to what can be arewarding career.

The new course will be work-experience based, withstudents attending courses at SAC's Ayr campus on day-release. Placements will be found for students at twolocations over two years. Bodies such as the NationalTrust for Scotland, private gardens and local councils inAyrshire are offering appropriate opportunities. SAC willbe seeking further placements as the course expands.This approach gives students the added advantage ofreceiving pay while studying, and an opportunity tominimise student debt.

Candidates will be chosen from amongst those showinga willingness to get their hands dirty as well as learninghorticultural theory. SAC believes the new course will beof interest to new entrants and those already working ingardens but wanting to gain new qualifications. It hasalready gained industry backing.


April 2009

A New Scholarship forCountryside Managementstudents

Countryside Managementstudents in Aberdeen cantake advantage of a newscholarship. It has beenvery generously funded byMs Margaret Carlaw an ex-Countryside Managementstudent, educationalist,author and farmer. The"Stitchell Scholarship" isworth up to £500 and isopen to those studyingthe current academicprogramme. Students maysubmit joint applications.

The award has two aims, the first to attract studentsto the Countryside Management course in Aberdeenand in so doing raise the profile of SAC's CountrysideManagement programme. The second aim of thescholarship is to provide financial assistance for astudent to extend his/her experience andknowledge outwith the Countryside Managementprogramme. For example, this could be done byattending a course or workshops in another part ofthe country, e.g. Aigas Field Centre, or undertakingpractical work related to CM, e.g. on Handa Island.Others may prefer to carry out voluntary work withsome conservation body, e.g. SWT, Borders ForestTrust, John Muir Trust. The grant could be used tocover such aspects as course fees, travel,accommodation and/or subsistence.

Spreading the Word

SAC had some books it nolonger needed andHargasia High School inSomalia had a brand newlibrary but lots of emptyshelves. At least they were,but no longer, thanks to theefforts of HNC PoultryProduction studentMohammed Hersi.

Grasping the opportunity Mohammed braved theblizzards of one weekend in February to drive avan full of books from the Ayr campus to Bristol.According to his colleagues it was a brave manwho attempted that journey but Mohammed feltit was worth the effort in the name of charity andhis old High School. Students and staff atAuchincruive are just very happy to know thatSAC's old books will be put to good use.

knowledgescotland -Supporting Scotland’s FutureIn Science And Policy

A novel approach tokeeping policy makers intouch with the latestresearch on food, health,environment and ruralsectors has recently beenlaunched.

The "knowledgescotland" programme is designedto help scientists work more effectively withGovernment and others planning Scotland's future.Supported by Scottish Government, the initiativeoffers a focal point for researchers at SAC, theMacaulay Land Use Research Institute, the MoredunResearch Institute, SCRI and the Rowett Instituteof Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen.

According to Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretaryfor Rural Affairs and the Environment. "The world-class research these organisations collectivelyprovide is helping tackle major challenges. Thisexciting new initiative will help deliver key outputsfrom the scientific community. I am particularlypleased that the needs of policy makers foraccessible, readily understood information hasbeen recognised".

While www.knowledgescotland.org puts sciencepolicy connections online, it is only part of a widerinitiative designed to change the culture ofcommunication between the science and policycommunities. The website carries interactivebriefings allowing direct contact between scientistsand those directly interested in policy. However,in addition a programme of open doors events,work shadowing, secondments and other formsof joint working is planned.

Among those welcoming the new innovation is DrGeorge Paterson, Director of Food StandardsAgency Scotland. "As an evidence- basedorganisation we welcome this new initiative. Thisnew and useful information will assist in thedevelopment of policies aimed at improving foodsafety and standards to protect the health of theScottish population".

By registering at www.knowledgescotland.org youcan receive regular policy briefings on researchprogrammes at your desk. You can contributecomments, use policy-related web links from themain research providers, view the programme ofevents and activities online and choose which toparticipate in.


April 2009

SAC hopes to catch thesunshine……...

SAC is hoping that the sun shines this summer asit plans the various outdoor events it will beattending over the next few months - as there isnothing worse that wearing wellies and wadingthrough mud in July!!!.

The Royal Highland Show (25-28 June), GardeningScotland (29-31 May), the Scottish Game Fair (3-5July), the Ayr Flower Show (7-9 August), andTreefest (18-19 July) are among some of theevents at which SAC will be present.

At Gardening Scotland you can find out how theSAC Garden Design students have got on with theirShow Gardens for this year; last year all the SACgardens won Silver Gilt medals, so there is lots ofpressure. At The Royal Highland Show, pop in atthe SAC stand and find out about new coursedevelopments, and all the research beingundertaken at SAC, or enjoy a day out at Treefestin Edinburgh, the Game Fair in Perth, or the AyrFlower Show. Feel free to visit the SAC stand atany of these events and watch out for us at othersaround the country. SAC staff will be more thanwilling to answer any course-related questionsyou may have.

All SAC campuses will also host an Open Eveningon Wednesday 3rd June - details available on ourweb site: www.sac.ac.uk/opendays

SAC does 'somethingfunny for money'

The staff and students at the three SAC campusesagain participated in Comic Relief this year with£3800 raised to date (and money still coming in).Events across the three campuses varied fromcake stalls to gunging of staff and students;catwalk capers to SAC 'Pop Idol'.

Former Student Focus

Margaret Hazlegraduated in 2005 andis now undertaking aTechnologist TrainingProgramme withInvitrogen Bioreliance.After a period workingon cell culture she isnow based in theMolecular Biologydepartment.

"I chose the AppliedBioscience coursebecause it combinedmy interest in scienceand animals and had a good mix of theory andpractical work.

I gained a variety of skills and techniques fromthe laboratory classes which also contributed tomy understanding of experimental and researchmethods which I now use in my current position.The smaller classes were also good; when youneeded help lecturers were always willing to giveyou support.

The Bioscience Study Tour was a particularhighlight, as it gave you an insight into differentkinds of working environments and the range ofjobs that could be on offer after graduating".

Taster Days

Successful Taster Days were held at all three ofSAC's campuses this March, with a wide range ofattendees and activities at each.

In Edinburgh, studentsundertook a range ofactivities such asm i c r o p r o p a g a t i o n ,animal behaviour, andassessing water quality.

In Aberdeen, studentsenjoyed activities such as lambing and ponddipping.

In Ayr, events entitled "Scottish Agriculture - Foodfor Thought", "Parasites - Living with the Enemy"and "Animal Welfare" were top of the bill.

The next Taster Day is at the Ayr campus on the21st August.


April 2009

Contacts:

Student Recruitmentand AdmissionsSAC, West Mains Road,Edinburgh EH9 3JGPhone: 0800 269 453

Email: [email protected]

SAC Aberdeen: 01224 [email protected]

SAC Ayr: 01292 [email protected]

SAC Edinburgh: 0131 535 [email protected]

www.sac.ac.uk/learning/newsandevents/studentrecruitmentnews/newsapril2009/

Schools Vouchers

Again this year, SAC staff are beingasked to say 'yes' as they passthrough the checkouts at two of thebig supermarkets. The collection ofthe vouchers has become a traditionwith staff participating for around 5years with numerous local schoolsbenefiting.

Once all the vouchers have beencollected a secondary school local to each SACcampus is nominated to receive them andhopefully boost their totals to allow them topurchase the equipment they require.

Other ways to keep in touch

Keep in touch with SAC -

SAC is new to Twitter and wouldvery much like some followers -search for us on www.twitter.comas SACinfo.

We also have a facebook page - so"become a fan" of SAC by visiting

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Edinburgh/SAC-Scottish-Agricultural-College/36784790691

You can have a look at photographs from recentevents and activities on our Picasa pages:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/sacrecruitment

Environmental Study Tour2009

Beautiful photographs are now on-line from thestudents' Environmental Study Tour in March. Thestudy tour took third years from a number ofprogrammes including Sustainable EnvironmentalManagement and Countryside Management tovarious rural businesses and natural heritage sitesin the Loch Tay area.

Photographs and further information about the tripare available on the following web page:

http://www.sac.ac.uk/learning/courses/undergraduate/envcoucon/sustainablemanagement/studytourenv09

student recruitment news april 2009

Education