Borders College employees delighted to be guest speakers at this year’s Lantra Employers Webinar

@BorderCollege staff employees Mary Thomson and Fiona Turnbull were delighted to have been given the opportunity to be guest speakers at this year’s @LantraUK Skills for Farming Employers Apprenticeship Webinar.

Mary, who is the Curriculum Learning Manager for the College’s Rural Skills provision, delivered a presentation to the participants around what the training provider’s role is and the support they give to both the employer and the apprentice.

Fiona Turnbull, who is the Contracts Manager for the Department of Enterprise and Business Innovation, also spoke participants about information on funding available.

Both speakers were well received at the online event, passing on their knowledge and expertise to employers and apprentices.

Delivered through Zoom, the event provided an opportunity for agricultural employers to find out more about the benefits of apprenticeships within the industry and the attendees got to hear from employers and apprentices about their experiences.

Mary commented:

“This event was a great opportunity to raise awareness of work-based learning opportunities in farming and the wider rural sector. Employing an apprentice can benefit a rural business in many ways including providing relevant skills, avoiding skills shortages and improving staff motivation and retention. It was fantastic to be part of this Lantra event.”

Fiona Commented:

“35 employers tuned into this webinar which was fantastic. I think the information gained and listening to the experiences of existing employers and modern apprentices will encourage new employers to take this route going forward.”

Lantra’s Anabel Baker, who is the Project Coordinator, thanked Both Mary and Fiona, saying:

“We would like to say an enormous thank you to Mary and Fiona for taking part in the Employers Apprenticeship Webinar. Without their support and time, these events would not be possible and we really appreciate the time they gave up to talk to employers and I have no doubt, inspiring the attendees to take on an apprentice and make them more aware that there are various types of support available to them.”