Scottish Enterprise and SAC have issued a call for ambitious farmers and rural business managers interested in growing their enterprises and developing their leadership skills.
The 2011/12 Rural Leadership Programme, a Scottish Enterprise initiative delivered by SAC, gets underway in October. Held over 12 days to March 2012, the programme represents an opportunity for anyone working in a small to medium sized enterprise in rural sector to develop their leadership skills, contacts and the rural and political knowledge to enhance their business.
More than 200 rural leaders have already completed the unique programme. Participants have come from a diverse mix of rural occupations including farming, tourism and the food and drink sector as well as vets, auctioneers, estate managers, the processing sector and the supply trade.
For some, it proved to be the catalyst that enabled them take their business to the next level, while for others it was been a life or career changing experience. Adrian Ivory, who farms near Meigle in Perthshire, was a participant in 2007 and has since won the Farmers Weekly Farmer of the Year Award, become a Director of the Oxford Farming Conference and starred in an ASDA beef advert. He said: “The programme was all good but I found the one to one coaching particularly useful in helping me get more out of my dealings with others.”
Farmer Charlie Russell from Ayrshire said: “The programme taught us to work inside the farm gate but think outside the farm boundary. It helped us find out what motivated us, taught us to focus on what was important and let us achieve it because who wants to manage an average business.”
There are 45 places on the 2011/12 course. Participants will form three groups in North East and East Scotland, West Central and the South West Scotland and East Central and the South East. Three introductory meetings will be held this month to provide further details and to share experiences of past participants in the programme:
Venue Aberdeen – 18 August, 7pm
Venue Ayrshire – 25 August, 7pm
Venue Edinburgh – 30 August, 7pm
To apply for the 2011/12 Programme or find out more, contact:
Miss Catriona Clark
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC Consulting, Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate,
Aberdeen
AB21 9YA
T: 01224 711084
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