Turf and topsoil supplier, Rolawn has partnered with land-based training provider, TASK Academy to deliver specialist, practical courses for people in the landscaping and horticulture industries in recognition of industry skill gaps.
The range of one-day courses is designed to address these gaps, providing training in areas identified as ‘lacking in the sector’, designed and delivered by industry professionals.
TASK (Training Academy for Skills & Knowledge) Academy was launched in September 2022 by multi award-winning Rupert Keys of Keyscape Design & Construction Ltd. Together with a cohort of industry professionals, the TASK academy offers a range of Lantra accredited landscaping courses.
An industry-wide assessment of skills and workforce issues in the wider landscape economy conducted by the Landscape Institute in 2022 reported that the landscape sector is worth approximately £24.6bn to the economy in gross value-added terms, and is growing twice as fast than wider economy average, at 18% compared to 10% since 2010. More than 50% of businesses in the sector reported having a hard-to-fill vacancy, impacting contract acceptance rates.
Rolawn’s Jonathan Hill says: “This is a fabulous opportunity for Rolawn and we are grateful to Rupert and the TASK Academy team for the chance to be able to demonstrate and hand down the specific skills and knowledge we have gained over the years.
“TASK very much fits with the forward-thinking vision of Rolawn and the attention to detail we pride ourselves on. We’re looking forward to collaborating with the academy more this year, as we all work together towards a stronger, brighter future for the industry and the professionals within it.”
This partnership comes just two months after one of the Landscape Institute’s university accredited partners announced its withdrawment of offering post graduate landscape orientated courses.