Tilhill, the UK’s leading woodland creation, forest management and timber harvesting company, and Foresight Sustainable Forestry Company Plc, the UK’s first listed natural capital investment company, are pleased to announce that the inaugural ‘Foresight Sustainable Forestry Skills Training Programme’ in Wales has now been successfully completed.
The programme was launched in the summer of 2022 to help young people within rural Wales gain employment in forestry within their local Welsh community. The UK is experiencing a skills shortage as it looks to meet ambitious targets to plant more trees to combat climate change and satisfy a growing need for home grown timber. Targets cannot be met without upskilling and expanding the forestry contractor workforce.
Over 50 applicants applied for the programme and the four selected trainees; Lewis Hosking 20, Thomas Mellars, 24, Daniel Harrison, 22 and Rhys Jones, 16, who come from a variety of backgrounds, have now completed their fully funded training over three separate weeks at Coleg Cambria Llysfasi, securing important qualifications in tree planting, chainsaw operating, tractor driving, and much more.