Three funding streams have been announced recently to help women and young people develop new agricultural skills and further their careers within the rural sector.
The Next Generation and Women in Agriculture Practical Training Funds provide successful applicants with £500 each to help pay for practical training courses relevant to farming and crofting.
And the fund to help Women in Forestry get access to training has become available again, thanks to Scottish Forestry and Lantra Scotland.
Practical training
Funding of £400,000 is available through the Next Generation Practical Training Fund, and a further £170,000 is being provided for the Women in Agriculture Practical Training Fund.
Training up to the value of £500 per course will be fully funded. Any training over the value of £500 per course will be considered and assessed on a case by case basis.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon announced the new support during a speech at AgriScot 2023 earlier this month.
She said the funding encourages women and girls to learn additional practical skills to progress their businesses and careers, which in turn can open up new employment opportunities for them.
Ringlink courses eligible for funding are badged as such in Skills Hub Scotland. Simply select your course and apply online at Skills Hub Scotland for Next Generation or Women in Agriculture.
Females in forestry
The Women in Forestry Practical Training Fund was established by Scottish Forestry to support the personal development of women, providing them with additional skills to progress their careers and employment opportunities in forestry beyond their current role.
With the aim of supporting the personal development of women, the fund will provide them with additional skills to progress their careers and employment opportunities in forestry beyond their current role, and is available through a new website managed by Lantra Scotland.
Ringlink courses eligible for funding are badged as such in Skills Hub Scotland. Simply select your course and apply online for Women in Forestry at Skills Hub Scotland.
According to Dr Liz Barron-Majerik, Lantra’s Scotland Director, the Scottish Government’s Women in Forestry fund will have an immediate and positive impact on the forestry industry.
She explained: “We know that women are under-represented in forestry, and this fund is specifically designed to start addressing that imbalance. By making it easier for women to access relevant and high-quality training, our intention is for Scotland’s forestry workforce to become more representative of the population in general.”
