Individual skills training grants

Lochaber Enterprise has, so far this year, assisted 10 people gain skills or qualifications which have helped them secure employment or develop their business.

The individual skills training grants are available to unemployed and self-employed people living in the Lochaber area looking to take short-term courses to help them find employment or obtain skills that will improve their business.

Asher Bowyer and his brother Koa have been involved with forestry operations for the last 10 years providing stalking, forestry and farm work services to local estates.

Koa was made redundant earlier this year from the Lochcarron Estate in Ross-shire. He and the other 35 employees facing redundancy were contacted by Ross and Cromarty Enterprise (RACE) to see if they could help him secure new employment.

Koa then spoke to his brother Asher, who is self-employed in Knoydart, with the idea of extending the services they could offer by providing tree surgery and felling.

However, this requires qualifications in basic tree climbing, aerial rescue, using a chainsaw from a rope and harness and aboricultural dismantling operations.

The initial outlays for providing such services are significant, with the courses costing more than £4,000, and insurance, equipment and a vehicle all being necessary before they can get started.

Asher said: "These courses are vital and will enable us to work more effectively and to provide an enhanced service to our customers. We've done the first part, which was a seven-day course and we both passed that. We now need to buy equipment before we can do the second part of the course, but we hope to have completed it by the beginning of next year."

"I spoke with Elaine Jones at Lochaber Enterprise, and Koa was dealing with RACE, and the whole process was pretty straightforward. They got back to us fairly quickly and were very professional about the whole thing."

Lochaber Enterprise awarded Asher £504, which is 25 per cent of his course fees and a further £70 to cover 15 per cent of his travelling costs, and Koa received £750 from Ross and Cromarty Enterprise.

"The other work we do is seasonal whereas tree surgery and felling is an all-year round service, which will provide more stability for us - and of course a much-needed business in the local area," added Asher.

Jan Croxford has a massage therapy business in Ballachulish. She is already qualified in Swedish, therapeutic, sports, remedial and on-site seated chair massage, but is keen to develop her skills in order to widen the therapies she can offer her clients.

Over the five years she has been in business, she has built up a good base of regular clients and this is supplemented by people passing through the area on holiday.

She approached Lochaber Enterprise for assistance in obtaining qualifications in Slavic, hands-free, advanced remedial and hot stone fusion massage, which she aims to complete throughout the course of the year.

"I have recently received a small grant from Lochaber Enterprise, which was to assist me in a course to study Slavic massage which I completed in July this year.

"This gives me another form of massage to offer my existing clients and will hopefully attract new clients too. The techniques can also be incorporated into the work I already do."

The courses will cost a total of £895, of which Jan has been awarded £224 from the local enterprise company.

Outdoor instructor Neil Pickstock has been working in the Fort William area for five years, but due to the seasonal nature of his work, he has been required to take up employment away from the area at certain times of the year.

Neil has been offered year-round employment in the outdoor tourism industry, but this requires him to obtain further qualifications for instructing in winter mountaineering and sea kayaking.

Lochaber Enterprise has been able to assist him meet the costs of the courses, with a grant for £133 - 25 per cent of the total costs.

Neil sad: "The money from Lochaber Enterprise has been a great help. I usually have to move away from the area in the summer months, so having the sea kayaking qualifications will help me to base myself here all year.

"There is a huge demand for winter mountaineering leaders and in the past I have had to turn down this type of work because I don't have the qualifications. It will also help me to make the most of the more lucrative winter months."

Development manager at Lochaber Enterprise Elaine Jones said:  "The Bowyer brothers and Jan are great examples of people looking to expand their skills in order to secure work and develop their businesses. In addition with Lochaber being the Outdoor Capital of the UK, Neil will be able to utilise his new skills to good effect.

"The individual skills training grants are available to anyone resident in the Lochaber area, who is either self-employed or unemployed, for courses that cost in excess of £400 that will help develop their business or secure employment."