The Easy Way to Get Funding for Your Training

10 Dec The Easy Way to Get Funding for Your Training

You can apply for Farming Connect grants of up to 80% on approved training courses in Wales. There are a few hoops to jump through but you can draw on our expertise to smooth things along.

Step 1 – Register with Farming Connect

Before we can help you apply for funding, you need to register with Farming Connect. We can help you with this.

You’ve got two choices:

• Call Farming Connect on 08456 000 813
• Go to the Farming Connect registration page

After registering, you need to follow an online procedure to verify your account. Again, we can assist you.

KEY POINT: It can take several days to complete your registration and verification. So, we recommend you register at least two weeks before the end of the funding window (see Step 3). For the next funding window, please register by 14 February.

Step 2 – Complete your PDP (Personal Development Plan)

Just give us a call on 01437 761321 to make an appointment. Depending on the number of courses you’d like to do, you will probably be at our office for 1-2 hours. This is a free service.

After completing your Step 1 registration and verification, you can log into BOSS: the Welsh Government’s business online support system. This is where you create your PDP, which covers:

• Goals – you set some goals, for example to be a tree surgeon or a herdsperson
• Skills – you then assess your own competence for relevant skills
• Courses – you can then select from a list of courses for each skill area

Note, you can complete your PDP at any time of year.

Step 3 – Apply for funding for specific courses

The funding windows open for short periods, several times a year. We can help you apply and, in most cases, we can do this when you come in to complete your PDP. The details you enter into your PDP are an important factor when it comes to funding decisions.

The next funding window runs from 6 January to 28 February 2020. As mentioned earlier, you should register with Farming Connect (Step 1) by 14 February. Several people leave it to the last day or two and then find that they do not receive their password in time to apply for funding.

If you are aged under 40, you can apply for 5 courses within a 12-month period (excluding contractors, students and niche businesses under 550 hours). Those over 40 can apply for 3 courses within a 12-month period. However, regardless of age, you can be approved for only one Machinery & Equipment course and one Pesticides course in a 12-month period.

Step 4 – Receive notification of funding level

You will receive an email about a month after the funding window closes. The email will tell you how much funding you will receive if you go ahead and do a course.

For the next window, which closes on 28 February 2020, you will probably hear in the last week of March. If PMR Training helped you with your application, we will also receive an email.

KEY POINT: You must wait for confirmation of your funding before you do the training course for which you have applied for funding. Otherwise, you will not receive the funding.

Step 5 – Complete the course

Once you’ve completed the funding application, you can check upcoming course dates with PMR Direct: just give us a call or look at our website calendar. You can make a provisional booking to save your place on the course, and then make a firm booking once you’ve received confirmation of funding.

Note that the funding is for attending the course. It does not depend on you passing any assessments. You need to complete the training within nine months of the email confirming your funding.

Step 6 – Claim the funding

You do not do the claim yourself. Your training provider has to do it. So, if you have applied through PMR Direct, we will make the claim to LANTRA on your behalf.

To support the claim, we have to provide evidence that you have paid the unfunded portion of the course. For example, funding of up to 80% is available for ‘Safe Use of Veterinary Medicines’. So, you would need to pay the other 20% before we can claim your 80% funding. Likewise, funding of up to 40% is available for various chainsaw courses. So, you would need to pay the 60%.

Summary

Our top pieces of advice are:

1. Don’t leave your registration to the last day or two of a funding window. You risk losing out on funding of up to 80%.
2. Don’t attend a training course until you’ve received the email confirming your funding.
3. Book a PDP or Funding Application session with PMR Training. Use our expertise to save time and increase your chance of funding success.

If you have any questions, please give us a call on 01437 761321 or drop an email to team@pmr.org.uk.