THE rapid uptake of a recently announced Forestry Training Fund grant has highlighted the number of people with a desire to enter the woodland management industry, reports Helen Mallett of Northamptonshire-based VMT Training.

Helen said: “It’s a great opportunity for people to develop or up-skill within the forestry and landscape maintenance sectors.

“But there are not enough people who are qualified to undertake this work. One barrier to entry is the cost of training; it’s a highly regulated industry, so the grant was set up in order to help break down those financial barriers to learning.”

Forestry Journal:

VMT Training has around 11,000 acres of working woodland to access. Its training facilities, which combine classroom, workshop and outdoor work environments are at its Islip Training Centre just outside Thrapston, and also in the grounds of Boughton House in Kettering.

Courses include working with powered tools such as pole pruners and chainsaws, health and safety including first aid, ladder training and tree climbing, and tree surveying and inspection.

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Helen said: “Our clients know we will always find the most effective option for them, providing high-quality training in a timely manner. We work really hard with companies on ensuring they are compliant with health and safety and therefore with their insurance, to keep everybody safe, work effectively, and also remain commercial. Training is both an outlay and an investment – of time and money. As Lantra-approved providers, clients can be assured of an industry recognised and accredited qualification.”

Both January and February saw VMT Training deliver more than 80 courses, and the coming months see similar bookings, from repeat business and many new clients.