Brokers ready to help train Cumbrian farmers (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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Brokers ready to help train Cumbrian farmers
9:10pm Monday 6th February 2012 in News
FARMERS in Cumbria are being urged to sign up to a skills service that could lead to subsidised or free training for themselves and their workers.
Rural Skills Cumbria has recruited eight ‘training brokers’ to help farmers access the best training to suit their needs.
The free advice service is being provided as part of an initiative involving the Cumbria Farmer Net-work.
Team manager Jane Humphries said: “I think this programme will be extremely well received and I urge farmers to get involved as soon as possible because it is time-limited.”
The programme covers the whole of the county and aims to provide courses, workshops and events aimed at those working in the farming, food and forestry sectors, or planning to enter these areas.
Anyone over 16, who lives and works in Cumbria, is eligible.
Training opportunities include: animal health, woodland management, dry stone walling, hedge laying, succession plan-ning, woodfuel produc-tion, chainsaw handling, practical farming, trailer handling and Information Technology Seven partners are involved in delivering the training, available with discounts ranging from 50 per cent to 100 per cent via Rural Skills Cumbria, which is funded by Defra.
The training brokers all have farm backgrounds or connections and will visit farms to help identify which grants are relevant for the farmers and their staff free of charge.
