PEOPLE WHO are part of, or wishing to enter a land or nature based industry, can now apply for funding support to gain practical skills required to respond to the climate change challenge.

Supported by Scottish Government funding of up to £250,000 and administered by Lantra Scotland, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Practical Training Fund is open to applications from people aged 13 and over.

People can apply for £500 or more for the cost of a 'climate change badge' practical or technical training course through the Skillseeder platforms. Courses offered can provide people with skills to improve soil health, undertake peatland and wetland restoration, increase biodiversity, reduce carbon footprints or reduce waste.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “We know that we need to work together to meet our climate change ambitions, especially as we transition to sustainable agriculture in rural Scotland. So we want to empower people in our remote and rural communities by helping them get the skills required to address the emergencies facing the climate and nature and support a green recovery.

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“The fund will be open until the end of March 2022, so I would encourage all those eligible to get their applications in as soon as possible to help play their part in making a difference for Scotland.”

Scotland Director of Lantra Dr Liz Barron-Majerik expressed her enthusiasm for the new fund: “I am delighted to be working with the Scottish Government and SkillSeeder on this exciting new initiative. Many of the land-based businesses that will be impacted by climate change are both small and rural, which brings associated logistical challenges.

"Even a minor change can be relatively high risk. So being able to find and access training, specific to the needs of the individual or business, is very important. SkillSeeder have done a great job of ‘badging’ courses so they are easier to find, and can add more as they become available.”

Skillseeder is a skills sharing app which provides an easy to use one-stop shop to find training and skills development opportunities across the country, particularly for those in rural and island areas.

All eligible courses will be easily identified on the SkillSeeder platforms with a climate change badge. 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.