The future looks bright for the Yorkshire Rural Academy, following its launch event at Skipton Auction Mart in late 2007. Over 120 delegates, from a range of organisations, came to hear how the Academy will offer courses from introductory skills through to graduate level, and how it will develop tailor-made courses for individual businesses.
Dr Gordon McGlone, chairman of Lantra, showed his support for the Academy in his opening speech and the signing of the Academy’s partnership support board. Dr McGlone commented: “It is a delight to support this new initiative where rural skills and training can be accessed more widely through the collaboration of partners and where businesses are encouraged to develop through a range of bespoke training.”
David Thomson from Ripley Ice Cream and Chris Heseltine from Hesketh Farm also spoke at the event about their own experiences, and how skills and training were a key part in the development and diversification of their businesses within the rural environment.
This unique partnership, between Askham Bryan College, Craven College, York St John University and Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based sectors, brings a huge range of opportunities within reach of new learners through its diverse programme of learning.
With funding from the Learning and Skills Council, the development of the Academy will be predominately in North Yorkshire, with the hope that the venture will be expanded across the Yorkshire and Humberside region over the next two to three years.
