Forestry Skills Training Scheme

The Forestry Skills Training Scheme (2018-2020) provides financial support for projects which instruct current and future forestry workers on key issues in the sector such as establishing forests, forestry management and health and safety.

Projects have a strong emphasis on practical experience and provide relevant and up-to-date training.

In order to get funding, applicants must show:

• the course is relevant in terms of contributing to forest sector needs
• the training institution would not be in a position to fund the course without the support of the Department
• the course is relevant to the students who will be trained and that they have not already received this training

Where these criteria are not met, the application will not be evaluated further and the proposal will be turned down.

Applicants must also outline:

• quality and experience of individuals proposed to deliver course content
• track record in delivering similar courses
• qualification received, formally recognised by the wider industry
• health and safety content

The call for proposals is aimed at training students registered on full-time forestry programmes at QQI Level 5 and above. Examples would be the Level 5 Certificate in Forestry, Level 7 Bachelor of Science in Forestry or Level 8 Bachelor of Agricultural Science in Forestry. The Department may seek confirmation that students participating in the course are registered as full-time students.

Depending on the budget available, not all proposals evaluated will be funded. Where the budget is exceeded, proposals will be shortlisted based on a points system. The Department may also decide to offer funding which is less than the amount sought or turn down one course in the proposal but fund another.

Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

Funding will be approved on an annual basis for the coming year. Therefore approval in one year does not guarantee funding for the other remaining years.

Applications should be emailed to christine.smith@agriculture.gov.ie by 4pm on Friday 25 May 2018.

For further information contact: