A new scheme is set to provide £900,000 for farmers,
horticulturalists, foresters and people working in land management
to help them develop their skills.
Funded through the Rural Development Programme for England
(RDPE) which is managed in the region by East Midlands Development
Agency (emda), the initiative aims to encourage land-based
businesses to apply for funding to invest in the training and
development of themselves and their workforce.
Lantra, the Government's Skills Council for the environmental
and land-based sector, has been appointed to manage the 'LandSkills
East Midlands' programme on emda's behalf, which is set to run
until December 2011.
Speaking about the scheme, Andrew Morgan, Skills and Communities
Director at emda, said: "Our research tells us there are around
12,000 land based businesses in the East Midlands, but that many
find it difficult to identify the right vocational training for
their employees. Through this project we will provide funding
to enable farmers, foresters and horticulturalists to access
training specific to their particular sector. Employers,
employees and training providers will have the opportunity to work
together to develop bespoke training to meet their needs and fill
gaps in existing provision."
Over the coming months, Lantra will work with a wide network of
partners, including training groups, industry bodies, veterinary
specialists and the private sector, to prioritise the skills needs
of land-based businesses in the region. Applicants will
usually be required to contribute around 30% of the training costs,
with LandSkills East Midlands awarding up to 70%.
Lantra's Programme Manager, Richard Loynes, commented:
"Our coordination of the programme across the region will
ensure that many rural businesses are able to access the full range
of the training offer, irrespective of their geographical location.
We are particularly keen to invest in courses that help rural
employees improve in areas such as ICT, supply chain efficiency and
environmental management."
RDPE is jointly funded by the European Union (EU) and
Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).
emda has approximately £60m available for projects in the
region until 2013. The purpose of RDPE grants is to stimulate
the rural economy of the East Midlands and provide more
opportunities and an improved quality of life for rural people in
the region.
Andrew Morgan added: "In the current climate, it is more
important than ever that we encourage small rural businesses to
develop their employees. This will play a vital part in
ensuring their survival in these challenging times, helping to
improve productivity, efficiency and future competitiveness."
For more information and to download an application form, visit
www.lantra.co.uk/LandSkillsEastMidlands