A new fund to support the development of workers across the expanding peatland restoration sector in Scotland has been launched.
The Peatland Training Fund will provide financial support to over-16s living in Scotland who are looking to develop skills to support their peatland career. It is also open to people already working in peatland restoration looking to enhance their skills through additional training.
The fund is being managed by Lantra on behalf of Peatland ACTION partner NatureScot. It will cover skills including ecological survey techniques and offers eligible applicants 50% funding up to £1,000 per course for Peatland Training Fund-badged courses. Eligible courses are being badged and hosted on Skills Hub Scotland.
It brings together commercially available training under the Peatland Training Fund badge. This includes training in plant and machinery operation (excavator, ATV/Argo) as well as skills in spatial data, ecological survey and use of drones.
NatureScot deputy director of green economy Claudia Rowse, and Lantra’s Scotland director Dr Liz Barron-Majerik launched the fund during the Royal Highland Show.
Claudia Rowse said, “A report currently being compiled by Peatland ACTION has identified a workforce of at least 400 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs – and probably more – across Scotland involved in the delivery of 10,500ha of restoration work in 2023-24. But the research points to the need for a workforce of more than 700 FTE jobs for the delivery of 20,000ha, and more than 1200 FTE for 35,000ha per annum – which will be needed if we are to reach Scotland’s net zero targets.
“This is why this new fund is so important to help accelerate the growth of this workforce, and to help give anyone who wants to get involved in the peatland restoration sector the opportunity to do so.”
Peatland ACTION is encouraging training providers to add details of their training opportunities to the Skills Hub so it can be badged as Peatland Training Fund supported.
If you are a training provider and would like your courses badged and added to the eligible courses on the Skills Hub Scotland website, contact Peatland ACTION at peatlandactiontraining@nature.scot for details of how to do this.
Lantra’s Scotland director Dr Liz Barron-Majerik added, “The Peatland Training Fund will have an immediate and positive impact on the peatland restoration sector. The fund is specifically designed to support skills development of people who are keen to start peatland restoration or who are already working in it. We need more new entrants, and Lantra wants to help ensure they develop the skills they need to work safely, productively and sustainably. I am therefore delighted that we will be managing the training fund on behalf of NatureScot.”
Full details are available on the Peatland Training Fund page or you can find a list all the eligible courses on Skills Hub Scotland’s Peatland Training Fund course page.
