There are free training courses in agri-machinery and woodland management for farmers in Devon and Cornwall.

Bridgwater and Taunton College is working with a government funded programme called Train4Tomorrow to offer an Agritech Machinery and Tractor Technology course.

The course is open to adults looking to retrain and gain practical skills and knowledge in agricultural technology.

During the eight-week course, farmers will learn about the mechanisation aspects of running a farm and will learn about the future of agriculture and the innovative technologies and alternative fuels available now and in the future.

In January, Duchy College in Cornwall and Bicton College in Devon are running an eight-week Agri-Tech Woodland Management course.

There are no set entry requirements to take part and students over the age of 19 with an interest in forestry and woodland management are invited to learn about woodland establishment, maintenance and management, timber harvesting and Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) including carbon management, carbon foot printing and achieving farm Net Zero.

During the course learners will also plant and care for trees and learn chainsaw management skills.

Simone Tyrie, employment and skills project coordinator at Train4Tomorrow said: “The Train4Tomorrow programme offers adults in the south west access to free and flexible training programmes with little or no experience required.

"The Agri-Tech Technical Skills Bootcamps being held in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset have been developed with local employers in response to regional skills gaps and help to support people into secure and well-paid employment.

"As well as being free, the courses which run for an intensive eight weeks, mean people juggling employment, and or caring responsibilities can gain skills really quickly, and start putting them into practice as soon as they complete the course.”

To find out more about the free courses, visit train4tomorrow.org.uk.