£280,000 is being invested in a few forestry-related skills and training fund by the Welsh government, with the aim of growing the workforce and providing strong roots for the industry to bloom.
The Forestry and Timber Skills fund, which opens today, forms part of Wales’ efforts to future-proof the workforce and provide a pathway to a career in forestry – an industry who’s ageing workforce has led to concerns of a UK shortage over the coming years.
The fund is part of the Welsh Government’s Flexible Skills Programme and will support businesses to address skills gaps within their workforce by subsidising places on accredited forestry and timber supply chain courses, with up to £20,000 available per organisation.
In an England and Wales study of forestry businesses in 2021, respondents listed lack of skills as the main reason for unfilled vacancies.
With more skilled workers needed to meet woodland creation targets and expand the production of quality Welsh timber to fulfil the growing demand for low carbon timber-framed social homes, the Welsh government has acted quickly to help address the issue.
Forestry related skills
Lampeter Trees Services, established by Islwyn Williams and his son Meirion in 1993, provides forestry services for the National Grid, councils, Natural Resources Wales and private estates.
Meirion and his brother Emyr now run the business. Having staff qualified to industry-standard levels is a legal requirement to bid for many of the contracts that make up their day-to-day work and to date their workforce have attended nearly 400 training courses with Welsh government funding support.
One of the staff members who has benefited from attending subsidised courses is Tomos Williams, Meirion’s son.
Tomos returned to the family business as a groundsman after graduating from Bangor University. He is now a qualified climbing arborist, leading a team of his own.
On the value of skills training support, Tomos said:
“Without the funding I wouldn’t have been able to gain so many skills in such a short time, nor would we have been able to train so many of our staff.
“We’ve been able to make sure everyone is up-to-speed. More qualified staff means we can take on more complex contracts and we’re more efficient in all the jobs we take on.
“I love working outdoors. In my day-to-day work I’m in places people usually only visit on the weekend – big estates, national parks. I’ve had the opportunity to work on ancient trees. It’s a special job.”
