The Land + Nature Skills Service (LANSS) is a new service for Cumbria. The aim of the service is to connect people with learning and training opportunities with a focus on facilitating the development of skills provision to meet learner and employer needs in Cumbria.

As part of its remit, LANSS is investigating rural and heritage skills provision in Cumbria and working with local employers and training providers to identify skills gaps and enable local training provision.

Geneve Brand, Communications & Engagement Lead at LANSS, who is leading on the Rural + Heritage Skills Project said,

“As Cumbria is predominantly a rural county and home to the Lake District National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is a real need for these skills. However, it’s surprising how lacking training provision is in some cases, even at a national level, with learners having to travel significant distances for certain apprenticeships.”

LANSS recently conducted an audit of stonemasonry provision in Cumbria and identified approximately 25 operational stonemasonry businesses in Cumbria. These findings indicate that there is a need for the Stonemason apprenticeship to be delivered locally, and local colleges support this view. However, the Stonemason Apprenticeship Level 2 Standard is currently only offered by three colleges in the UK, none of which are near to Cumbria.

Stonemasonry is a heritage skill that is listed on the UK Heritage Craft Red List. It is categorised as ‘Currently Viable’ because it is a skill that is still in demand today. However, it is on the red list because sufficient provision to ensure that the skill continues to be passed down may not exist.

LANSS has the support of local colleges and is collaborating to deliver the Stonemason Level 2 Apprenticeship in Cumbria. In order to make this possible, LANSS requires collaboration with local employers. To facilitate this, we would be extremely grateful if you could complete and return our Stonemasonry Provision in Cumbria Employer Questionnaire.

Do you have concerns about skills provision in the future? Are you experiencing difficulties finding or training up the next generation? Do you have apprentices or would you like to take on an apprentice? Whatever your questions or level of involvement, LANSS would love to hear from you!