New Education and Training Fund benefitting local residents
The New Cumnock Education & Training Fund has made a resounding start following its launch in July, supporting local people to learn new skills, gain qualifications and improve their job prospects.
16 awards have already been made totalling £17,689, and which are all supporting local people to learn new skills, gain qualifications and improve their job prospects.
A further three applications are being reviewed, and another 12 applications are in process, showing a demand for the fund in the area.
Provided by RWE’s Enoch Hill Wind Farm Community Fund, the awards support learners at different ages and levels, and those moving into a new career or building a local business.
Learning journeys that have been supported including HNC courses at local colleges, Open University study, degree programmes at Scottish universities and specialist short courses. The fund doesn't only pay tuition fees. It also covers the practical costs that can stop people from starting or finishing a course, such as laptops and tablets, books and materials, equipment, travel and accommodation. For many recipients, this support is what makes their studies possible.
A popular area of interest in studying for careers in health, care and education. Awards are helping students in medicine, speech and language therapy, health science and childhood studies, as well as professionals doing specialist training to develop their careers.
Several awards are funding industry-recognised qualifications that lead directly to employment, including professional driving licences and electrical safety testing certification. These are short, focused courses that can make an immediate difference to someone's earning potential.
While some recipients are taking their first step back into education, others are moving into a new career or building a local business. A number of recipients are training to set up or grow their own businesses in beauty, skincare and fitness. Others are qualifying to run wellbeing and therapy classes that will benefit people across the area.
One recipient is using the funding towards training and equipment for new treatments after recently opening a beauty and wellness salon. They said:
| "Without this funding, these courses would have been pushed back because of the cost of the equipment and training, so this has gone a long way towards helping. I am so grateful. The whole process was quick and easy, and the team dealing with it were quick and helpful with both payment and correspondence." |
Kathryn Harries, from RWE, the developer and owner of the Enoch Hill Wind Farm that is providing the funding to support this initiative said:
| "We're delighted with the response to this new opportunity for New Cumnock residents. Our Enoch Hill community fund consultation came back with skills and training as a top priority so it’s great to see this becoming a practical reality so swiftly. Whether someone is training to become a doctor, gaining a qualification to get back into work or learning skills to start their own business, this fund is about investing in people and in the future of New Cumnock.” |
Community Councillor Susan Kerr who is also a Board member of New Cumnock Development Trust added:
| “With more applications coming in all the time, we'd encourage anyone thinking about learning something new to get in touch with Foundation Scotland who are administering the Fund. Better still, come to one of our upcoming events on Sunday 4 Oct or Monday 5 Oct to talk to Foundation Scotland directly but also share your ideas about how else we can put the Enoch Hill Wind Farm Community Investment Fund to good use in New Cumnock. The Sunday event is 1-3pm and then we’re repeating on Monday evening 6-8pm. Both are taking place at Trotters." |
Read more about the New Cumnock Education and Training Fund.