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Rural Micro Enterprises & Rural
Crafts
The LandSkills
East training programme which is
funded through the Rural Development Programme for England has focused
its training over its first two years at farming and land based
businesses. Through a review of its priorities the programme is
pleased to announce the inclusion of micro enterprises as eligible for
training and a ring fencing of approximately £300,000 of grant funding
for these rural businesses.
The funding is available to cover up to 75% of the
costs of courses and training which will improve the economic
performance of micro enterprises.
All small rural businesses (with a staff of less than
10 full time equivalent people and a turnover or net worth of below €2
million) located in a rural part of the East of England are now
eligible to benefit from this training support. Full guidance on who
is eligible can be found on the programme website.
Michael Mack, Director of the Rural Enterprise Hub at
Easton College who manages the training programme said: “LandSkills
East has performed well over its first two years and it is exciting to
be able to expand the range of businesses who are able to benefit from
the funding.
Training we have run through the programme has included
courses on customer care, technical skills to allow businesses to
develop new products, management training and coaching. Funding has
been made available for group courses, mini conferences and bespoke
training designed for a specific business need.
We set the project up to allow the businesses to
identify the training they need and to have the control over how, when
and in what their staff are trained. All new courses are put on the
website as soon as they are approved so that businesses can find out
about them and if you are unable to find a course which fits your need
than we will do all we can to get a partner to develop the course
around your needs."
The East of England has a heavy reliance on a strong
rural and food-processing economy. The most successful land-based
businesses have diversified into a wide range of enterprises including
food processing and agri-tourism.
It is our goal to assist with providing basic business
skills for diversification and food processing enterprises, with a key
focus on product development and marketing. We are also able to
support our built heritage through maintaining and reviving many
traditional rural crafts.
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“The needs of our industry are
diverse and ever changing and should be matched by an equally
diverse and accessible training program. LandSkills East is
addressing the supply and demand balance by asking the industry
what they need. The industry must embrace this opportunity to
enable itself to keep up with the demands it faces in the future.”
Gary Stokes, Chair of the Food, Diversification
& Rural Crafts Skills Group
Managing Director, Ashlyns Organics Limited, High Laver, Essex
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Local and regional courses
Courses are available for employees (Vocational Level)
– focusing on the acquisition of practical skills and owner / managers
(Higher Level) – focusing on higher level technical and managerial
knowledge to make their business world class in terms of
competitiveness and sustainability.
For further information about training and how to apply
click here
For course dates and locations click here
For the training aims click here
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