As Scotland's premier centre for education and training for the sector, we are immensely proud of the fact that almost all of our graduates go straight into jobs or continue their education. This is above the sector norm.
It's officially estimated by Futureskills Scotland that, between now and 2017 around 22,000 new workers will be needed by our landbased industries and it's a fair assumption that many of them will have been students of Oatridge College.
As you leaf through this Prospectus you will be astonished by the range of rewarding and fulfilling career opportunities available to anyone interested in, or passionate about, the environment, the countryside, animals, plants, the food we eat and the way we produce it.
The countryside is changing and more than ever there is a need for people who have the knowledge and skills to meet the new challenges. In a nutshell, there has seldom been a better time to think about a career in the landbased industries.
Our students come from all over Scotland and beyond but not all have grown up in the countryside. Increasingly they are young, and not-so-young, urban people who see the opportunities of a better life which will allow them to support our rural communities or look after our beautiful green places. Quite a number discover that their newly acquired skills and knowledge are greatly appreciated abroad and former students are to be found around the globe, particularly in North America, Australia and all over Europe.
At Oatridge it is our ambition to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence for landbased education, training and enterprise and to that end we have invested heavily to provide our campus in the country with some of the best modern teaching facilities available anywhere. It is not just about work, however, we firmly believe that for all of our students to reach their full potential we must offer top class facilities for their leisure and social life.
Please read on and if you like what you see, I can assure you of a warm welcome.
David James
Principal and Chief Executive
