Farmers are being encouraged to upskill with a farming course they can design to benefit them, be it stone-wall building, IT, taxation or sheep shearing.
IFA Farm Business Skillnet is offering farmers the chance to come together as a group with ideas for courses that would benefit them and IFA Skillnet will provide the course. Those taking part in the course can then avail of funding of up to 40% of the cost of the course.
James Murphy Chairman of the IFA Farm Business Skillnet Steering Group said if a group of farmers come forward looking for training, it can organise and provide the training course for these farmers.
“We can build and tailor training courses to the needs and interests of the group.”
Murphy said that previous courses included information technology, finance and taxation, leadership and negotiation and health and safety.
He also said that farmers can look to be trained in practical skills such as hoof pairing, sheep shearing, hedge laying or dry stone wall building.
However, he said the training is only available to IFA members, groups of members and discussion or purchasing groups of 12-20 people.
The cost of the course will depend on the number of farmers taking part and the person providing the training and so the costs vary from course to course, he said.
And, farmers can get 20-40% of the cost of the course back. Job seekers and those on farm assist can avail of training for free, he said.
“Our goal is to help farmers up-skill in areas that are important for their farms.
“The feedback we get from farmers who have taken part in training through Skillnet is very positive; many come back year after year to continue to up skill at a reduced cost.
“The great thing about Farm Business Skillnet is that farmer groups identify the skills they need to develop to improve their farms productivity and efficiency, and Farm Business Skillnet deliver courses to meet those needs,” Murphy said.