Eligibility Criteria and Participation Options

The SW Skills Programme is a Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) funded initiative to support vocational training for people earning their living directly in the farming and forestry sectors.

An aid to proving eligibility is a holding number, or the holding number of an employer. This means that anyone earning their living directly working in the sector should be eligible, even if you are not the land owner.

In addition, some of the courses running under the SW Skills Programme will also have additional places available to non-eligible participants. This is why you will see the distinction between an eligible fee and a non-eligible fee on the booking forms for some of our events.

Non eligible participants do not qualify for the RDPE support towards the training fee.

Accessibility and Diversity

The Skills Programme is committed to offering equal opportunities. We have put in place checks and procedures to make sure that all participants who want to can access the training the programme provides.

Because the Skills Programme is delivered by Duchy College Rural Business School we come under the umbrella Equality and Diversity Policy of Cornwall College Group. The aims outlined in this policy are to be:-

• inclusive by supporting students to learn and achieve their potential whatever their needs
• a good employer by offering training and development to all staff and observing best practice in recruitment
• forward-thinking in taking steps to implement the actions in its Equality Plans

Cornwall College Group also operates a single equality scheme which ensures that all our policies and procedures are informed by equal opportunities legislation including The Equality Act 2006, The Disability Discrimination Act 2005, The Gender Recognition Act 2005, Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999 and The Human Rights Act 1998. More information about Cornwall College mission and values can be found here.

Skills Programme events and courses are held across the South West at venues suitable for the type of training being given and convenient to the audience of that particular event. All venues are vetted prior to the event to make sure they are fully functional for participants needs. If you have a specific need for building accessibility, mobility or learning support we would encourage you to contact us so that we can provide facilities to support your participation.