Source · Select Committees · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Accepted
Paragraph: 79
The lack of a sufficiently large skilled workforce is a key barrier to England’s tree...
Recommendation
The lack of a sufficiently large skilled workforce is a key barrier to England’s tree planting ambitions. Addressing this requires a well-funded and planned workforce and skills strategy. Defra and the Forestry Commission are working to address the issue, but work is in the early stages and looks unlikely to deliver the immediate improvement needed, particularly in woodland creation roles that need to increase by over 75%. We recommend that Defra commit to a target of bringing at least an extra three hundred new people into woodland creation roles by 2025. Defra should create a dedicated taskforce with membership from the Department for Education, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Forestry Commission and training providers, including land-based agricultural colleges, to agree and deliver a clear plan to meet this target. This taskforce should report back to us on its progress by October 2022.
Government Response Summary
The government states that it is already bringing significant numbers of people into woodland creation roles and is supporting apprenticeships and other training routes through the Nature for Climate Fund and the Forestry Skills Action Plan.
Paragraph Reference:
79
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Through the Nature for Climate Fund, we have boosted resource in Defra, Forestry Commission, Natural England and with many charities and private partners. This workforce is designing and delivering schemes with landowners, businesses, charities and communities to increase woodland creation, sector capacity, education, and skills routes. Through this work Defra has and is already bringing significant numbers of people into woodland creation and other crucial roles in the sector. In the ETAP, Defra committed to support apprenticeships, T Levels and other technical training routes into the forestry sector and develop higher technical and professional education routes, increasing the number of people in woodland creation roles outside of government. Defra is also supporting the Forestry Skills Forum with the development and delivery of the Forestry Skills Action Plan for England, which aims to promote education, skills, learning and development across the forestry sector. Recently a new Forestry Commission Development Woodland Officer apprenticeship has launched jointly with the University of Cumbria and the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF). This is the first time that a degree-level forestry apprenticeship has been offered in the UK. The initial cohort will start in September 2022 and will complete a three-year, paid development opportunity to kickstart their careers in forestry. Defra is working closely with Forestry Commission, the forestry sector, educators and other departments to support the development and expansion of the forestry workforce. Defra is also a founding member of the Green Jobs Delivery Group alongside BEIS, DfE and DWP; specifically formed to be the central forum through which government, industry and other key stakeholders work together to ensure that the UK has the workforce needed to deliver a green industrial revolution.