Corriemoillie wind farm cash powers new opportunities for locals with latest round of bursary awards through EDF Renewables
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Nineteen new bursary awards to support education and training for residents and organisations in the EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Wind Farm area have been made.
The new funding takes the total awarded since last year to sixty-four.
The fund is open to residents, small businesses and third sector organisations covering Garve and District; Lochbroom; Marybank, Scatwell and Strathconon; and Strathpeffer.
Bursaries can cover travel costs, fees, equipment, accommodation costs, or childcare. The fund supports a wide range of training courses that help people improve their skills and employability and can also help to retain jobs in the area. Businesses can apply for funding to help cover the costs of staff training, apprenticeships, or business mentoring.
Fund co-ordinator Marion McDonald said: “Thanks to EDF Renewable’s donation and to our panel of local decision makers, we have again been able to support a really diverse range of training and education courses this past year. In these financially difficult times, it has been great to offer local communities something positive. Local people are undertaking such a wide range of courses – from qualifications in childcare to gaining a powerboat licence, and helping people train for new careers in the renewables sector.”
For Meg Crockett from Strathpeffer, who received an initial award for basic safety training followed by a second award for rope access training, the funding has provided an opportunity to retrain for a new career in the renewable energy sector.
On receiving her first award, Meg said: “After just completing the GWO basic safety training, I’m eager to learn more and have the opportunity to pursue an interesting and varied career. I hugely value the opportunity this course provides me in gaining a route into this exciting and innovative sector.”
Angelica Kroeger from Ullapool received funding to qualify for a commercial powerboat licence. This meant she could get work locally, transporting visitors to Isle Martin.
Having completed her training, Angelica said: “I have now received all my paperwork and have started to run the ferry. Already new opportunities are starting to emerge in the context of the island. I am very happy and so grateful to you to have been given this opportunity.
EDF Renewables director of asset operations, Piero Maggio said: “It’s always such a pleasure to see people make use of our funds to further themselves with training or education. Hearing that another nineteen people have benefitted from Corriemoillie Wind Farm is great news. We wish everyone the best with their newfound skills, awards and experiences.”
The next deadline for applying to the Fund is February 7, 2023. For further information about how to apply visit: www.foundationscotland.org.uk/corriemoillie-education-training or phone Foundation Scotland who manage the fund on 0131 524 0300.
