Lot 2 – Lifelong Learning & Development Programme

Frequently Asked Questions

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1. What is available in the new programme?

The aim of the Lifelong Learning and Development Programme is to deliver a more professional farming and forestry industry which

will be delivered through a combination of direct training and on line e-learning. It is designed to support the ambition for farming

and forestry businesses to become more efficient, perceptive and resilient and will be delivered through four main areas:

Continuous Professional Development – a comprehensive framework which allocates points to an individual for all FC activity

completed

Personal Development Plan – Online tool to help individuals identify short and long term goals, skills gaps and identify training

needs

E-Learning – interactive learning packages which allows users to learn at a time convenient to them

Short Accredited Training – funding available for completing training courses through an approved network of training

providers

2. What is a Personal Development Plan (PDP)?

A Personal Development Plan (PDP) provides a critical baseline of a customers’ level of knowledge before accessing the programme.

It also assists in identify training needs and enables the individual and others to measure their progress. In line with this, completion

of an on-line PDP will be a compulsory first step for an eligible individual to access the funding for training to the Lifelong Learning

and Development Programme.

The information provided in the PDP will identify individual knowledge skills gaps, enabling signposting to a provision of accredited

training whilst pinpointing opportunities tailored to meet individual and industry needs with the evolving developments and

business competitiveness.

3. Why do I have to complete a PDP myself and not for the whole business?

You need to be able to identify your own skill levels relating to your own individual job role, set out personal goals for your own

development and career progression as well as reflecting what is beneficial to the business. The PDP will also help you recognise

what training needs you have as an individual not as a business.

Individuals must have their own email address to complete the PDP, it will not be possible for more than one person to use the same

email address on the Welsh Government BOSS system.

4. How do I know what information to put into the PDP?

There are step by step guides within the online PDP to assist you with the completion of the PDP. The important thing to remember

is that there are no right or wrong answers, the information you put in has to relate to your own personal needs and remember the

more you put into the PDP the more you will get out.

It is a live document that can be updated regularly, but we recommend that you review the PDP every six months.

Watch a quick video that will help you complete the PDP

http://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/personal-development-plan

5. I don’t have access to the internet, how can I complete the PDP?

There will be a network of approved training providers who can assist with the completion of the PDP, you can also ask your local

Development Officer who can help locate sites with internet access. Farming Connect will be holding several events where it will be

possible to complete the PDP at locations across Wales with internet access. More information on these events will become

available on the website in due course.

Lot 2 – Lifelong Learning & Development Programme

Frequently Asked Questions

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6. What training courses are funded in the new programme?

A full list of proposed courses to be funded through the programme in Year 1 can be found on page 5. Course titles have been

grouped into three categories:

Category 1 – Transformational, consisting of Business and Leadership and Management courses

Category 2 – Technical, consisting of key technical training courses

Category 3 – Machinery and Equipment Use.

We will review the content and balance of the above course list on a six monthly basis with the first review happening during June

2016.

7. Why are certain training courses not eligible for funding in this programme?

Farming Connect will only fund short training courses accredited with an awarding body recognised by Ofqual.

We have taken into consideration the key industry priorities and cross cutting themes of the Welsh Government and the Welsh

Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, to offer more focused and strategic courses than in

the previous programme. Industry needs and previous training demands have been considered along with the broadening of the

eligibility criteria proposed by Gareth Williams.

A significant percentage of the Farming Connect training budget was previously taken-up by regulatory and legislative training.

Whilst this delivery plan supports some of these areas of skills development, the new programme will place a greater emphasis on

business and transformational skills acquisition.

8. Who delivers the training?

There is an approved network of training providers that can deliver the accredited training courses. More information on which

training providers are on the network is available on the website.

9. When can I apply for the funding?

In Year 1 of the programme, registered clients will only be able to apply for the funding during the Open Window Application Dates:

Window 1 4th January 2016 – 29th January 2016

Window 2 1st April 2016 – 29th April 2016

Window 3 1st June 2016 – 30th June 2016

10. Why have Farming Connect introduced application windows for the funding?

This has been introduced as a strategic approach to manage the expectation and demand for the funding of training courses. It is

also envisaged by having application window dates, batches of applications will all be approved in a short time period, resulting in

more coherent demand for training courses and more course places being filled with more courses completed.

11. How much funding is available?

There is a maximum of 80% funding available towards the cost of completing short accredited training courses to a maximum of

£1000 per course. The Farming Connect client only has to pay the training provider a minimum 20% contribution for the total cost of

the course, it is the training provider who will draw down the remainder of the funding from Farming Connect.

12. How many times can I apply for the funding?

This will depend on your eligibility status when you registered with Farming Connect, anyone from a Full farming or forestry business

will be able to apply for up to three lots of funding within a 12 month period however only one funding application can be used for

Category 3 – Machinery & Equipment Use per annum.

Students not from farming or forestry businesses and Contractors will be able to submit up to three lots of funding during the

lifetime of the programme.

It is only possible for one funding application to be approved for a pesticide course per business per annum.

Lot 2 – Lifelong Learning & Development Programme

Frequently Asked Questions

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13. How Do I apply for the funding?

You must be registered with Farming Connect

Complete the online PDP

If you are applying for funding for a Category 3 course – Machinery & Equipment Use, you must complete the online Health &

Safety (H&S) course before submitting an application

Speak to your local approved training provider about course dates and obtain course costs

Apply online for the funding during an open application window

You will be notified if your funding has been approved or not, you must receive funding approval in writing before

commencing the training

Once you have received funding approval you must pay the training provider the minimum 20% contribution and compete the

training.

14. Why do I have to complete the online H&S course before I can apply for funding for a course in Category 3 – Machinery &

Equipment Use?

All of the courses within Category 3 – Machinery & Equipment Use contain an element of Health & Safety. This fully funded online

interactive H&S course is designed to refresh individuals knowledge on H&S before attending the training course and to make

individuals more aware of the dangers within their day to day work.

15. How soon will I know if the funding application has been approved or rejected?

We will not be able to approve any applications until the application window closes. We aim to inform all clients the result of their

application within three weeks of the application window closing date.

16. What happens if my funding application is rejected?

It will be necessary to assess every application for funding that we receive, this will be done by looking at the information completed

in the PDP and the information provided on the application form, each application will be decided on a case by case need for

training.

If a funding application is rejected it will be possible to re-submit an application at a later date. However if you are not satisfied with

the decision there will be an appeals process available.

Lot 2 – Lifelong Learning & Development Programme

Frequently Asked Questions

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Approved Course List - Year 1 of programme

Category Title Course Sub Category

1 Transformational Leadership & Management Project Management

1 Transformational Leadership & Management Leading & Managing

1 Transformational Leadership & Management Getting the best out of your people

1 Transformational Leadership & Management Developing people to perform

1 Transformational Leadership & Management Managing casual and seasonal teams

1 Transformational Leadership & Management Recruiting and finding the right people

1 Transformational Leadership & Management Planning your business for the future

1 Transformational Leadership & Management Customised provision courses / endorsed courses will be approved on a case by case situation

1 Transformational Business Management Financial Recording & VAT

1 Transformational Business Management Understanding and using your accounts

1 Transformational Business Management Managing your cash flow

1 Transformational Business Management Business planning and development

1 Transformational Business Management Marketing your business

1 Transformational Business Management Customised provision courses / endorsed courses will be approved on a case by case situation

2 Technical DIY AI DIY AI

2 Technical Foot Trimming Cattle Foot Trimming

2 Technical Sheep Shearing Machine Sheep Shearing

2 Technical Sheep Shearing Customised provision courses / endorsed courses will be approved on a case by case situation

2 Technical Lambing Techniques Lambing Techniques

2 Technical Safe Use of Sheep Dip Safe Use of Sheep Dip

2 Technical Safe Use of Vet & Med Safe Use of Vet & Med

2 Technical Pest Control The Safe Use of Aluminium Phosphide for Vertebrate Control

2 Technical Pest Control Responsible and effective control of Commensal Rodents

2 Technical Pest Control Grey Squirrel Control

2 Technical Pest Control Rabbit Control - Trapping Techniques

2 Technical Pest Control Mole Control - Trapping Techniques

2 Technical Pest Control Rabbit and Mole Control - Trapping Techniques

2 Technical Pest Control Management of flies in livestock housing

2 Technical Health & Safety Site Safety Awareness

2 Technical Health & Safety Working safely in Agriculture / Horticulture

2 Technical Health & Safety Working at Heights Awareness and Risk Assessment

2 Technical Manual Handling Manual Handling

2 Technical First Aid Emergency First Aid at Work

2 Technical First Aid First Aid at Work

3 Machinery & Equipment use Pesticides Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1) & Safe Application of Pesticides Using Vehicle Mounted Boom Sprayer Equipment (PA2)

3 Machinery & Equipment use Pesticides Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1) & Safe Application of Pesticides Using Hand Held Equipment (PA6)

3 Machinery & Equipment use Pesticides Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1)

3 Machinery & Equipment use Pesticides Level 2 Award in the Safe Application of Pesticides Using Hand Held Equipment (PA6)

3 Machinery & Equipment use Pesticides Level 2 Award in the Safe Application of Pesticides Using Vehicle Mounted Boom Sprayer Equipment (PA2)

3 Machinery & Equipment use Pesticides Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides / Granular Applicators (PA4)

3 Machinery & Equipment use Pesticides Safe Application of Pesticides replacing Grandfather Rights

3 Machinery & Equipment use Telescopic Handler Rough Terrain Telescopic Lift Truck

3 Machinery & Equipment use Tractor Driving Tractor Driving - Front End Loader

3 Machinery & Equipment use Tractor Driving Tractor Driving with Arm Mounted Flail Cutter

3 Machinery & Equipment use Tractor Driving Tractor Driving

3 Machinery & Equipment use Tractor Driving Tractor Driving on Slopes

3 Machinery & Equipment use Tractor Driving Tractors for directional felling and/or takedown

3 Machinery & Equipment use Chainsaw Chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting

3 Machinery & Equipment use Chainsaw Chainsaw maintenance, cross-cutting, felling and processing trees up to 380mm

3 Machinery & Equipment use Chainsaw Felling and processing trees over 380mm

3 Machinery & Equipment use Chainsaw ITA in Chainsaw Maintenance and Cross-cutting (occasional user)

3 Machinery & Equipment use Chainsaw Severing Uprooted or Windblown Trees using a Chainsaw

3 Machinery & Equipment use ATV Sit-in ATV Skid Steer Tracked or Wheeled

3 Machinery & Equipment use ATV Sit-in ATV Conventional Steered

3 Machinery & Equipment use ATV Sit-Astride ATV's including loads and trailed equipment