£400 Available for Wales’ Land Girls

£500,000 for Farmers, Foresters and Growers through LandSkills SE

SETTING HIGH FENCING STANDARDS: YOUR EXPERTISE IS NEEDED

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY

For Immediate Release England’s land-based and environmental businesses must cultivate world-class skills in order to thrive and fully support the nation’s supply of food, fuel and water, according to new research, published today (6 April) by Lantra Sector Skills Council. The land-based and environmental sector touches all our lives wherever we live. The sector feeds our nation and is indispensable for our current and future economic prosperity. Land-based and environmental businesses safeguard England’s natural environment and natural heritage and are in the front line in the drive for

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

1 April 2011 For Immediate Release Lantra, the Sector Skills Council supporting land-based industries, announces today, 1 April, that they have been appointed to accredit the Investors in People programme to English businesses operating within the land-based and environmental sector. Investors in People is a business improvement tool which links staff development with increased business profitability and levels of service. Investors in People supports and accredits employers that follow a structured business development programme. Research shows that the Investors in People programme helps

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Welsh land-based and environmental businesses must cultivate world-class skills in order to thrive and fully support the nation’s economic recovery, according to new research, published today by Lantra Sector Skills Council. The report, title The Skills Assessment for Wales, identifies that Welsh businesses must recruit almost 26,000 new land-based and environmental entrants at all qualification levels over the next decade just to maintain current workforce levels. Despite these new entrants, the estimated 18,300 Welsh businesses and 90,750 people employees must develop their skills through

NEW OFFICER DELIVERS FUNDING FOR YORKSHIRE’S FARMERS, FORESTERS AND GROWERS

LandSkills Yorkshire and Humber has recruited Diane Ratcliffe as a Programme Officer to help the region’s farmers, foresters and growers improve the competitiveness of their business through skills and business development. Bringing nine years of experience with funding projects, Diane’s most recent position was as a business adviser with Business Link Yorkshire, where she helped 600 learners access a wide range of training and development initiatives. Previous to that, she worked with Train to Gain and managed a UK Online Big Lottery Funded Project. Diane said: “I am really excited to be

Skills - ever considered why they're so important?

We often hear about the need for skills in the workplace, but have you ever wondered why they’re so important?The success of any business depends on the skills of its workforce, at all levels. Well trained employees bring a number of benefits that add to a business’s competitive advantage; these benefits include higher productivity, improved service, increased employee confidence and motivation, and greater customer satisfaction. Training has been shown to boost staff productivity by 4% per employee* which helps increase profitability, so getting businesses to recognise the importance of

SCHOOLS OUT, WHAT NEXT?

The revision is over; the exams have been sat and now comes the agonising wait for results. For millions of GCSE and A level students the next few weeks will be highly stressful, with results determining whether they will continue in education, head off to work or even combine both.For students who have achieved their anticipated results the next number of weeks will be spent preparing for the next stage in their life. For some this will be university, for others it may be continuing education, seeking employment or training. Lantra Sector Skills Council works to highlight the variety of

OPENING DOORS TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Current economic conditions are tough on businesses everywhere, so to help those working within Wales’ environmental and land-based industries, Lantra Sector Skills Council is throwing open the doors of its Builth Wells office during the Royal Welsh Show (July 19-22).Industry experts, training providers and staff from the Farming Connect Skills Development Programme are working together so that the show’s visitors can easily find out about the training and support that is available to the sector, or ask about the many rewarding environmental and land-based careers, some of which will be

OPENING DOORS TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Current economic conditions are tough on businesses everywhere, so to help those working within Wales’ equine and veterinary industries, Lantra Sector Skills Council is throwing open the doors of its Builth Wells office during the Royal Welsh Show (July 19-22).Industry experts, training providers and Welsh Assembly Government representatives are working together so that the show’s visitors can easily find out about the training and support that is available, or ask about the many rewarding environmental and land-based careers. Among those joining Lantra will be Lantra Skills Ambassador and

Business Skills for Rural Women

Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries has submitted a bid to help fund a new programme – ‘Business Skills for Rural Women’ which will be rolled out across eight areas in Scotland.The programme will provide rural women with the business management and leadership skills necessary to improve their business performance. Mary Mitchell, Lantra’s Regional Partnership Manager said: “Women have always held in a central role in sustaining the fragile rural economy in Scotland, with many running their own small enterprises. This new project is offering women the

Ever considered volunteering?

Wondering what to do during the long summer months while you look for a job or wait for school to begin again? Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries is encouraging people to consider volunteering.Volunteering means many things to different people, but essentially it’s an opportunity to gain work experience through your own commitment and time, to improve your skills, confidence and contacts while helping others. Chris Catchpole, Lantra’s Sector Entry and Careers Manager said: “For many, volunteering provides an opportunity to road test different types

Planning your future career?

With examination time well under way and the academic year almost over, for many now’s the time to start thinking about a choice of career. Lantra Sector Skills Council is encouraging people to consider the exciting and dynamic opportunities that are available in the environmental and land-based sector and are on hand to point you in the right direction.While work in this sector is often portrayed as being low paid, manual outdoor work with few opportunities for progression, this is far from the truth. As well as a variety of manual roles, the environmental and land-based sector provides a

REVISED SKILLS STANDARDS NOW AVAILABLE FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

Following an extensive review of the jobs, skills and activities people carry out within fisheries management, Lantra Sector Skills Council announced today (26 May) that newly revised National Occupational Standards are now approved and available for employers use.National Occupational Standards (NOS for short) accurately describe what a person needs to do, know and understand in their job to carry out their role in a consistent and competent way. NOS has 115 distinct uses which help ensure that industry has the skills it needs, and so Lantra carried out the year long review with employers

Skills groomed to perfection

Visitors to the Smallholders and Garden Festival, Builth Wells, this weekend (15-16 May) got an unusual glimpse into the world of dog grooming as Claire Hyde, of Classic Canine Cuts, Blackwood, Gwent, treated them to a show of what it is like to look after our pooch’s hair. Formerly a teacher, Claire has been a qualified dog groomer since 1994. In 1998 she combined these two careers to start teaching at local colleges. She has since opened a grooming school to help others gain qualifications. Claire carried out the demonstrations at the show, on behalf of Lantra Sector Skills Council, to

Taking the reins with equine research

Major research on challenges faced by the equine industry is being undertaken by Lantra, and the expertise and knowledge of Northern Ireland’s professionals is required for the best possible results.As part of UK-wide research, Lantra, the skills council supporting the equine industry will hold a focus group to look at issues such as staff retention, availability of training and progression opportunities for both businesses and employees working with horses. Amy Cosgrove, Lantra’s Equine Manager said: “It’s important that the equine industry has the right skills in this constantly changing

Lantra's rallying cry for the importance of agriculture

Speaking the week of the Balmoral Show (12 May) at a gathering of key figures from Government, education and industry, Lantra’s UK Chair Dr Gordon McGlone highlighted some of the Sector Skills Council’s key achievements and also the importance of agriculture in Northern Ireland.Addressing guests at a dinner in Belfast, Dr McGlone commented on Lantra’s successful collaborative work with industry, a supported research programme for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and securing funding from the Department for Employment and Learning to carry out research. This research

Don't sit on the fence ... it's time to train

More than a third of Northern Ireland’s fencing businesses report that employees don’t have the appropriate technical skills needed to do their job, according to new research, published today (30 April) by Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries.One fifth of the businesses surveyed reported that not all their staff are fully proficient in their current job roles, with 35% of businesses reporting staff to lack technical/job specific proficiency. David Seffen, Lantra’s Partnership Manager said: “Whilst there is a willingness to train staff, this is often

Skills - ever wondered why they're so important?

We often hear about the need for skills in the workplace, but have you ever wondered why they’re so important?The success of any business depends on the skills of its workforce, at all levels. Well trained employees bring a number of benefits that add to a business’s competitive advantage; these benefits include higher productivity, improved service, increased employee confidence and motivation, and greater customer satisfaction. Training has been shown to boost staff productivity by 4% per employee* which helps increase profitability, so getting businesses to recognise the importance of

LANTRA HELPS BBC TV HIGHLIGHT YOUNG FARMER'S CAREER ASPIRATIONS

When Lantra Sector Skills Council alerted the nation that we will need to recruit a staggering 60,000 more people into agriculture by 2017 just to maintain current workforce levels, it caught the eye of the producers at BBC One Television's popular Countryfile programme. They decided to cover it by telling the compelling story of 19 year old aspiring farmer, Gareth Barlow.It's clear the challenge of attracting so many new entrants into agriculture, even in times of recession, will be no simple task but one the industry is gearing up to tackle. The irony is Yorkshireman Gareth is already

Professional help for your pets

April is National Pet Month – a time when animal charities, businesses and other organisations arrange fund-raising events and collectively promote the improved welfare of pets. Here in the UK, pet owners are fortunate to have the back up of plenty of highly skilled professional people to assist them all year round thanks in part to Lantra Sector Skills Council.Registered veterinary nurse Lisa Jarvis, who is the animal care expert at Lantra, explains: “Animals deserve the very best of care and as they cannot speak and are reliant on people to have sufficient knowledge to ensure they are

FUNDING FOR FEMALE FARRIERS

Female farriers from across England can now benefit from a £450 training grant it was announced today (7 April) by Lantra Sector Skills Council.The training grant is available through Lantra’s Women and Work programme, which is entering its fourth year after successfully securing funding to help another 670 women working in male dominated industries. The grant will enable all women working within the farriery industry including registered and apprentice farriers to develop their skills, careers and businesses until February 2011. Women and Work Programme Manager, Lyndsay Bird, said: “The