Regional Trainers' Contribution Recognised by Sector Skills Council

Feb. 22, 2011 - PRLog -- At a presentation ceremony at Spalding Horticultural Training Group, Lantra CEO Peter Martin said: "As the Sector Skills Council for the land-based and environmental industries, we know that training, skills and workforce development are essential to business success. So when, RTL exceeded all expectations, training more than 800 people over the last year, we thought they deserved recognition.

"RTL was contracted by LandSkills - which is managed by Lantra on behalf of East Midlands Development Agency's Rural Development Programme - to provide training for 438 people but they helped almost twice as many, 841 training days, over the last 12 months. This is an incredible achievement."

Lorna Howitt of Spalding Horticultural Training Group, is Project Manager of Rural Training Links. She said: "Between November 2009 and September 2010 we've trained more than 800 people.  The Government believes that training and development - helping people acquire new skills - will help business drive the Country out of debt.

“Working with businesses to carry out the training needs analysis we offered LandSkills funded training to land-based businesses throughout the East Midlands.

"RTL has run a range of training, including senior level management and director programmes, as well as supervisory, technical, financial and environmental courses. The project's success has led to increased demand and RTL will deliver 1175 trainee-training-days over the next 12 months."

LandSkills East Midlands is managed by Lantra on behalf of the East Midlands Development Agency and funded by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). It provides the skills required by the region's farming, production horticulture and forestry industries. It offers farmers, foresters and growers based in the region up to 70% towards the costs of their training and technology transfer.

Hargreaves Plants, which specialise in the breeding and propagation of soft fruit plants and asparagus crowns, received training through RTL as a result of the LandSkills East Midland grant.  Managing Director Rupert Hargreaves said: "This funding is a major benefit to our business. We are training people at all levels from basic level plant skills, accounts and customer care, right through to directors' training at the Institute of Directors.

"We're expanding rapidly now in UK sectors as well as in the export market, this could not be achieved without the right skills.  We can already see, as a result of this government training initiative, that our company will once again require increased staffing levels for next year.  Strikes me it's a win-win."  

Spalding Horticultural Training Group has been an approved City & Guilds Centre for more than 20 years. Centre Manager Lorna Howitt said: "Over the last year we have helped 18 candidates achieve the Level 2 and 3 NVQ and Diploma in Production Horticulture.  

"I am delighted we have been joined at this event by some of our apprentices and their employers.  Our programme of work-based learning and assessment has proved to be very successful over the years with some apprentices going on to higher education, returning to the industry and now working in senior management positions."

The event took place at Spalding Horticultural Training Group which also celebrated the success in its Apprenticeship programme during Apprenticeship Week (7-11 February).

About Lantra

Lantra is the Sector Skills Council for land-based and environmental industries, working to ensure these businesses access the training, qualifications, skills and knowledge they need.

As independent UK organisation, Lantra works with employers and the UK’s governments to address the skills and productivity needs of approximately 230,000 businesses (one in every ten UK businesses) in: agriculture; animal care; animal technology; aquaculture; environmental conservation; equine; farriery; fencing; fisheries management; floristry; game and wildlife management; land-based engineering; horticulture, landscape and sports turf; production horticulture; trees and timber and veterinary nursing.

By working together with the sector, Lantra leads research on skills issues and business needs, sets national standards and develops qualifications to meet modern business needs and help businesses grow through skills.

For more information visit http://www.lantra.co.uk.