Funding
There are 3 major sources of funding available if you live and work in Wales.
1) Farming Connect
2) Focus on Forestry First
3) If you have recently been made redundant funding is available through ReAct.
We will be more than happy to give you more information if you contact us on 0800 118 55 11.
There are several possibilities for getting funding for our courses. Unfortunately, if you are currently in full-time employment (unless you are a farmer), and your job future is secure, it is unlikely that you will be successful in getting funding.
The following is a list of the available funding that we are aware of. If you have another source of funding which is not on this list - please contact us anyway and we will do everything we can to meet the eligibility criteria of the organisation offering the funding.
Farming Connect Wales
If you are a farmer in Wales, then you, your immediate family and your paid employees are eligible for a 50% discount off all Environment Skills Training courses and assessment costs, under the Skills Development Programme.
To take advantage of the many programmes available to you, the holder of the farm needs to register with Farming Connect on 08456 000 813. ( Previously registered farmers need to re-register). Registration is done by way of an application form completed over the telephone.
Once your application form and eligibility have been assessed, you will be informed by Farming Connect of the services available to you.
If you require any training courses for yourself, a member of your immediate family or a member of your staff on PAYE, then please request an application form from Farming Connect.
Environment Skills Training offers the following training courses:-
2 day Lantra ITA Chainsaw Maintenance and Cross-Cutting.
4 day Lantra ITA Chainsaw Maintenance, Cross-Cutting and Felling up to 8” Trees.
5 day Lantra Chainsaw Maintenance, Cross-Cutting and Felling up to 15” trees with separate one day NPTC City and Guilds CS30/CS31 Assessment.
3 day Lantra Chainsaw – Felling Medium trees up to 30”, with separate one day CS32 NPTC City and Guilds Assessment.
3 day Lantra Chainsaw – Felling Individual and Multiple Windblow with separate CS34/35 NPTC Assessment.
1 day Lantra ITA Brushcutter/Trimmer Course Experienced Operator
2 day Lantra ITA Brushcutter/Trimmer Course
1 day Lantra ITA Sit Astride ATV/Quad Bike Course Experienced Operator
2 day Lantra ITA Sit Astride ATV/Quad Bike Course.
Environment Skills Training also offers courses in:
Manual Handling including Problem Solving
First Aid Appointed Person
First Aid at Work.
Woodchipper
Pole Pruner
If you have enough employees for a full course (4 for a Chainsaw Course, 6 for a Brushcutter course, 6 for an ATV/Quad Bike course) or you can join in with another employer we will be more than happy to run the course on your farm.
Details of the prices of our courses can be found by clicking this link: Course Prices
If you would like more information on the services and courses we provide, please call one of our friendly team members on 0800 118 55 11, or email us.
The Skills Development Programme is delivered by Environment Skills Training on behalf of Farming Connect.
Unemployed - Employment Service
If you are currently receiving unemployment benefit, or are expecting to be using the Employment Service, they often have schemes that will offer funding for our courses. These are usually subject to individual negotiation between yourself and the Employment Service, but we are happy to discuss your training with them if necessary.
Call us on 0800 118 5511 for more details or CONTACT US through this page, for more advice.
Recently made redundant - React grants
If you have been, or are about to me made redundant, you may be eligible for assistance from the 'React' team. This is the system in Wales, and their may be something similar for the rest of the UK.
Substantial retraining assistance is available through this route.
Call us on 0800 118 5511 for more details or CONTACT US through this page.
Learning Skills Council grants
If you wish to undertake career development whilst you are employed or unemployed, then you can receive assistance from the Learning Skills Council.
This assistance takes the form of a bank loan with a low rate of interest.
You apply to the Learning Skills Council who will give you a list of participating banks. You then apply to the bank of your choice and you have to go through the application process for a Career Development Loan.
You don't have to repay anything in the first month of the loan, and then repayments commence at a low rate of interest. They will pay 80% of the course fees if you are working, or 100% if you have been out of work for three months or more. The loan amount is £300 to £8000.
The loan will cover equipment, child-care during the learning etc.
For more details, call us on 0800 118 5511 for more details or CONTACT US through this page.
Forces resettlement grants
Unfortunately we are not currently able to take payments from resettlement grants.
We are looking into accreditation for this scheme if the demand is sufficient. However, we are more than happy to provide training for people retraining from the forces if they can pay in the normal way or through the other funding streams mentioned above.
Call us on 0800 118 5511 for more details or CONTACT US through this page.
