| Discussions are needed on the training provisions for the future |
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Here is a letter to Mr Charles Howeson, Chairman of Seafish in support of future training within the fish frying industry.
Dear Chairman
Re: Concern for Training and Funding for the Frying Sector and for the future of MSITA and the F.Q.A. Award.
It appears that the twin spectres of political ambition and financial creativity have reared their ugly heads again. I really have to wonder whether or not Seafish fully realises what the Group Training Associations really do.
While talking to some of the board members of Seafish, I heard the opinion voiced that the fish and chip industry should now be in a position to be able to fund training themselves. This astonished me greatly and it seems that memories are short. Has it been forgotten how far our industry has progressed, with the help of training, during recent years? Is it not also the case that this holds true for the whole of our industry e.g. for the manufacturers of flour, paper, oil, for the suppliers of fish and for the equipment engineering sector? The list is endless.
Seafish was only too happy to give (a) its support and name to the fish shop of the year award (five hundred people were present at this prestigious event) and (b) to state that fish and chips were at the forefront of our industry. How do they think the fish and chip industry achieved this success? Maybe training had something to do with it!
What follows are two of the many statements made concerning Group Training Associations. This from Mr Rutherford;
Seafish is committed to ensuring that training is available to all fishermen, wherever they may be, and to the industry in general and we believe that the G.T.A. network is one of the best ways in which we can fulfil this task. G.T.A.s will provide us with the capability of delivering information, knowledge and tailored training solutions to the industry. The regional partners of the G.T.A.s will act as agents and facilitators of the Seafish service in order that we may continue to better engage with regional businesses. This will, therefore, raise standards through training and industry specific qualifications.
This from Mr Dewar Durie;
The G.T.A. network has spearheaded Seafish efforts to facilitate the delivery of relevant and cost-effective training to people working in the seafood industry.
There are many more opinions in the same vein that could be mentioned.
The view has been put forward that we should go through IMPROVE to help with training. What has IMPROVE done for our industry? As training providers, would they offer the flexibility that our industry needs? Would they cope with out-of-hours training e.g. night time, weekends and hands on help? I do not think so!
Moreover, where is all this money that is to be saved going to, may I ask? to the processors? How many processors do we have in this country? How big is their workforce? We have, in the fish frying industry, a workforce that is, at least, seventy to eighty thousand strong. This does not take account of all the outside related businesses. Does not all this count for something where training is concerned? Most processors have in-house training and, I believe, they have subsidised training programmes.
The question of levy payment was raised with Seafish and they would not recognise that the levy should go to all sectors considering that the levy is, in our opinion, ultimately paid by the consumer. In addition, how much fish is used in the frying sector and what levy money is generated? Please could you confirm the amount; I would be interested to know. Other training providers would be proud of what we have achieved, in our industry, through cost effective training.
G.T.A.s are autonomous organisations and Seafish does not have the right to determine their future. However, by taking this funding route this is precisely what it is doing. Maybe you should look at the funding conditions of the Seafish Industry Authority Act of 1981 to see what it actually states. Seafish is supposed to lead, not dominate as it has always done. I wonder, however, whether or not it is too late to stop the rot.
As I have said in the past, it seems that there is a striking similarity between some Seafish board members and some members of parliament in as much as there seems to be the same amount of u-turns and backtracks as is found in government. Mr Chairman, you stated that It is my aim to take (or try to take) with us everyone who cares deeply about the future of our industry. We in the G.T.A.s do care deeply about our industry and we hope that you will not be too much influenced by other board members and will give this grave matter your fullest attention.
Yours faithfully
Mr P J F Webb (Chairman)
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