TRAINEESHIP EXPERIENCE IN SCOTLAND - VIEWS OF CURRENT AND RECENT TRAINEES
1 PURPOSE AND OUTCOME
The purpose of the survey was to seek the views of current and recent trainees in relation to the traineeship experience in Scotland. This survey was open to all current trainees and those who qualified between 2020 and 2022. Our survey was open from 28 September 2022 to 25 October 2022. The results of this survey have highlighted the experiences of trainees in Scotland and will help us to ensure that trainees' views continue to be represented. The SYLA have reviewed the responses and will endeavour to organise a programme of events and work in response. If there is anything further the SYLA can do to assist and support our members, we would invite you to email us at mail@syla.co.uk, or alternatively, please contact any committee members.
2 RESULTS
Our survey was completed by 117 responses. The survey was open to 1st year and 2nd year trainees, as well as 0-2 years PQE. There was an even and proportionate level of responses amongst the three groups.
The majority of responses were from trainees at firms with more than 31 Partners. The majority of responses were from those who have experience in civil litigation, private client, and corporate and commercial.
Over 75% of respondents found their traineeship to be excellent or good, whilst over 40% found it satisfactory and 14% regarded it as poor. Over 83% of respondents regarded the quality of their training as excellent and good, whilst over 15% regarded it as poor or very poor.
Over 64% of respondents are conducting their traineeship in the office and hybrid.
In response to the impact that remote/hybrid working had on traineeships, there was mixed responses:
Positive impact
Over 74% of respondents have a mentor and 58% were supervised in the office and remotely. 32% of respondents had daily interactions with their mentor, 26% weekly, and 7% had monthly interactions. However, over 29% of respondents had less interactions with their mentor.
46% of respondents found their mentor to be very helpful and 53% found their mentor somewhat or not helpful. However, most respondents found that they were able to speak to their mentor about various topics. Respondents did feel less able to approach their mentor regarding wellbeing and mental health, and personal issues impacting work. Nevertheless, over 89% found their firm to be very and somewhat supportive. This is indicative of the positive amount of responses to the different types of supports firms put in place, which included (but not limited to) paid for CPD, shadowing opportunities during client consultations, IT equipment and social events.
In response to feeling able to speak to mentors, there was a mixed range of responses:
Positive
In response to what firms should have put in place, the following responses were made:
Over 88% of responses answered that it would be useful for SYLA to offer authorised TCPD.
Over 92% of responses felt very or somewhat comfortable in approaching people at their firm. However, over 30% of respondents answered that their firms did not deal with concerns well with over 29% of respondents commenting that no action was taken to resolve concerns.
The following other comments were provided regarding traineeships:
Positive comments
Over 82% of respondents found that the Law Society of Scotland were excellent and good to deal with during their traineeship, whereas over 16% found that they were poor and very poor.
In response to what the Law Society of Scotland could do to support trainees, there was a mixed range of responses.
Positive
Over 20% of respondents attended the SYLAs’ Connecting Trainees sessions, with over 37% commenting that they were unaware of these sessions. Over 18% of respondents noted that these sessions were useful, with over 79% unable to comment.
In response to what role should SYLA play in representing and supporting trainee solicitors, there was a mixed range of positive and constructive responses:
Positive
The following other comments were provided about training in Scotland:
Positive comments
3 CONCLUSION
The report raises a number of positive experiences and some issues of concern. The SYLA will work to address the concerns raised with the relevant bodies with a view to improving the traineeship experience in Scotland. The SYLA are committed to continuing to represent trainees, of which will include supporting our members in their professional development and wellbeing.
The purpose of the survey was to seek the views of current and recent trainees in relation to the traineeship experience in Scotland. This survey was open to all current trainees and those who qualified between 2020 and 2022. Our survey was open from 28 September 2022 to 25 October 2022. The results of this survey have highlighted the experiences of trainees in Scotland and will help us to ensure that trainees' views continue to be represented. The SYLA have reviewed the responses and will endeavour to organise a programme of events and work in response. If there is anything further the SYLA can do to assist and support our members, we would invite you to email us at mail@syla.co.uk, or alternatively, please contact any committee members.
2 RESULTS
Our survey was completed by 117 responses. The survey was open to 1st year and 2nd year trainees, as well as 0-2 years PQE. There was an even and proportionate level of responses amongst the three groups.
The majority of responses were from trainees at firms with more than 31 Partners. The majority of responses were from those who have experience in civil litigation, private client, and corporate and commercial.
Over 75% of respondents found their traineeship to be excellent or good, whilst over 40% found it satisfactory and 14% regarded it as poor. Over 83% of respondents regarded the quality of their training as excellent and good, whilst over 15% regarded it as poor or very poor.
Over 64% of respondents are conducting their traineeship in the office and hybrid.
In response to the impact that remote/hybrid working had on traineeships, there was mixed responses:
Positive impact
- Designated time when others are in office has been good for support and shadowing
- Flexibility (including creating a better work/life balance)
- Less commuting has saved money
- More independent and resilient
- Hard to connect and make relationships (including related impact of poor mental health)
- Lack of communication with colleagues
- Lost sense of community within firm
- Lack of events (including networking and BD)
- Lack of people in office to provide feedback and supervise us (making it difficult to get answers to questions quickly)
- Not able to meet clients in-person
Over 74% of respondents have a mentor and 58% were supervised in the office and remotely. 32% of respondents had daily interactions with their mentor, 26% weekly, and 7% had monthly interactions. However, over 29% of respondents had less interactions with their mentor.
46% of respondents found their mentor to be very helpful and 53% found their mentor somewhat or not helpful. However, most respondents found that they were able to speak to their mentor about various topics. Respondents did feel less able to approach their mentor regarding wellbeing and mental health, and personal issues impacting work. Nevertheless, over 89% found their firm to be very and somewhat supportive. This is indicative of the positive amount of responses to the different types of supports firms put in place, which included (but not limited to) paid for CPD, shadowing opportunities during client consultations, IT equipment and social events.
In response to feeling able to speak to mentors, there was a mixed range of responses:
Positive
- Approachable
- Not comfortable to approach
- No care for mental health and workload
- No communication from mentor
In response to what firms should have put in place, the following responses were made:
- Structure in the traineeship
- Regular contact and mentoring from supervisors
- Frequent social, CPD and BD events
- Shadowing opportunities
- Support for IT/home working equipment
Over 88% of responses answered that it would be useful for SYLA to offer authorised TCPD.
Over 92% of responses felt very or somewhat comfortable in approaching people at their firm. However, over 30% of respondents answered that their firms did not deal with concerns well with over 29% of respondents commenting that no action was taken to resolve concerns.
The following other comments were provided regarding traineeships:
Positive comments
- Supportive
- Established trainee induction programme
- Varied
- Enjoyable experience
- Salary
- Not suitable for costs of living
- Not reflective of 5 years of University studies
- Training
- Should take place in office
- More emphasis on in-person meetings
- Colleagues WFH counterintuitive to learning
- Colleague availability infrequent
- Remote court hearings make learning advocacy difficult and feel unprepared for this in person
- Information
- Discharge and assignation process not clear
- Work/life balance/mental health
- Unrealistic expectation on juniors to be first in and last out
- Capacity levels not monitored
- Isolating experience as sole trainee
- Support
- Limited budget for social events and reluctant to reimburse expenses
Over 82% of respondents found that the Law Society of Scotland were excellent and good to deal with during their traineeship, whereas over 16% found that they were poor and very poor.
In response to what the Law Society of Scotland could do to support trainees, there was a mixed range of responses.
Positive
- Supportive
- Very useful
- Continue to offer CPD and mental wellbeing information
- Helpful when COVID lockdown in terms of furlough information provided
- Training
- More TCPD (including relating to in-house)
- Difficult to get approved CPD (including accessibility issues in terms of location)
- More supervision for criminal trainees
- Support/processes
- Push firms to adapt support to hybrid working
- Extending DPLP process should be simplified
- Standard checks on mentors and their interactions with trainees
- Better system to report firms
- Raise awareness of impact of pandemic on training
- Regular opportunities for trainees to provide feedback
- Support in transitioning to NQ
- Do not provide support to small and criminal defence firms to develop trainees
- Overhaul auditing of smaller firms where there has been reported issues
- Be proactive in transparency of places available in DPLP and traineeships
- Communications/engagement/website
- PQPR form should be simplified
- Slow and poor communication
- Improve portal (including with CPD requirements)
- Make website more user friendly
- Guidance on rights of trainees
Over 20% of respondents attended the SYLAs’ Connecting Trainees sessions, with over 37% commenting that they were unaware of these sessions. Over 18% of respondents noted that these sessions were useful, with over 79% unable to comment.
In response to what role should SYLA play in representing and supporting trainee solicitors, there was a mixed range of positive and constructive responses:
Positive
- Great work
- Continue Connecting Trainees sessions
- Good networking opportunities
- Work well to provide trainees and junior lawyers with voice and representation
- Act in best interests of juniors
- Taking supportive stand on legal aid situation faced by criminal trainees
- Training
- More events in-person (including aimed at trainees/NQs)
- Collaboration with the Law Society of Scotland to run practical events
- Networking/social
- More social events (including in various areas)
- Information
- No information about the SYLA on the Law Society of Scotland website or in communications sent to new trainees
- Raising awareness of impact of pandemic on training
- Support
- Buddy/mentoring scheme
- Provide approved CPD and offer TCPD courses
- Representation for mature students
- Promote difficult conversations as result of survey to improve standards of training and welfare
- Help increase salary again
- More SYLA members from legal aid and charities
- Facilitate trainee anonymity in relation to concerns about firms
- Address gap in underrepresented communities (e.g. disability)
The following other comments were provided about training in Scotland:
Positive comments
- Excellent
- Training
- Not structured and mistakes pinned on trainees
- Confidence impacted as a result of not meeting clients and lack of in-person experiences
- More engaging TCPD sessions
- Trainees at smaller firms with less training opportunities are at disadvantage
- Salary
- Lower than England
3 CONCLUSION
The report raises a number of positive experiences and some issues of concern. The SYLA will work to address the concerns raised with the relevant bodies with a view to improving the traineeship experience in Scotland. The SYLA are committed to continuing to represent trainees, of which will include supporting our members in their professional development and wellbeing.