People who work in agriculture, horticulture, equine and other land-based sectors in Wales are being given a unique opportunity to develop new skills thanks to a Welsh Government scheme and a number of specialist training providers.
The LANTRA scheme aims to help those who work in farming and related land-based sectors gain business improvement qualifications by funding training with providers Neath-based Call of the Wild and Simply the Best Training from the Rhondda, who will be delivering workshops across Wales over the coming months.
Call of the Wild and Simply the Best have joined forces to combine their expertise in personal and business improvement with their experience of offering courses for the land based sector in Wales.
Mark Soanes, Director of Call of the Wild, said: “As farm owners ourselves we aim to make our courses as relevant, engaging, enjoyable and rewarding as possible. The beauty of these qualifications is that they are short, intensive sessions which mean that people learn a lot without leaving behind their business for too long.
“These qualifications are tailor-made to be flexible and affordable, allowing people to learn and earn qualifications that fit in with their lifestyle. We have a practical down to earth approach which differs from a more traditional college classroom type course. You don’t need an academic background to do the qualifications as we offer a blended approach to delivery to suit everyone’s learning needs.”
Julie Thomas, Owner of Simply the Best Training, said: “Farmers are good strategic planners instinctively, but they don’t recognise that is what it is called. I hope that by coming along to one of these courses it will give them extra tools and skills to add to the transferable skills that they already have.
“The fundamental aim of these courses is to make people work smarter not harder, and develop existing business skills, and these qualifications will be a great vehicle to deliver that.”
One of the first people to sign up for the LANTRA training was Eira Edwards from Blackmill, Bridgend, who runs a camp and caravan site alongside the family’s farm.
Eira said: “This is very much a family business and I am keen to go on any course that can help me pick up a bit more knowledge and give me reassurance about the way our business is being run.
“Whilst the business is doing well, there is always scope to do better and now that my son has come on board, I’m keen to make sure that the business can continue to thrive and be a source of income for him in the future.”
The courses are eligible for 70 percent funding and are being run at locations in North, Mid and South Wales. Funding is available to either full-time workers or self-employed.
As well as a great learning opportunity, the LANTRA training courses create a valuable networking environment allowing attendees to share best practice and combine expertise.
Multi-award winning Call of the Wild is an independently-owned, limited company based in Wales that offers leadership and management and business development programmes to individuals and organisations across the UK. Since starting up in 1998 we have worked with a wide range of clients, from a diverse range of industries, to develop their staff and the teams they lead. Emphasis is placed on developing skills and behaviours that will have a direct impact on individuals and organisations when back in the workplace.
Simply the Best Training (STB), headed up by Julie Thomas, have over 30 years’ experience of designing and delivering training and consultancy to the agriculture and land-based sectors in Wales. They are a licensed provider for Lantra Awards. STB have worked alongside Farming Connect delivering on the Skills and Agrisgop Programmes. Based on the family’s sheep farm, they are fully conversant with the opportunities and challenges of the agriculture and land-based sector in Wales. Although based in South Wales STB deliver agricultural business training throughout Wales as part of the Young Entrant Support Scheme (YESS).