New training partnership delivers life saving skills to students

A new training partnership will ensure students at Plumpton College in East Sussex receive life-saving training alongside their agricultural studies, thanks to first aid specialists WorkSafe Training.

Land based industries represent some of the highest risk work places in the UK – in the last 10 years almost one person a week has been killed as a direct result of agricultural work, according to the HSE.

As a specialist land-based industries college, offering courses including agriculture, forestry, horticulture, equine and animal sciences, preparing Plumpton’s agricultural students with life-saving first aid skills is a key priority. In addition, being able to offer these programmes to companies operating in the sector, we will be encouraging employees to be confident, competent and willing to act if an accident or emergency occurs.

The College will work with WorkSafe, a leading provider of first aid instructor training, to develop specialist modules specifically for the land-based industries. These will include injuries associated with the use of heavy machinery, working at height and inaccessible locations.

Plumpton’s Head of Faculty: Forestry, Horticulture and Foundation Learning Ian Rideout trained as a WorKSafe instructor three years ago and on joining the college is keen to improve first aid standards. Five lecturers from the college, who teach in specialist areas including forestry and agricultural machinery, are now also qualified to deliver WorkSafe’s first aid programmes to students.

Ian Rideout, Head of Faculty: Forestry, Horticulture and Foundation Learning, said:

Being a Worksafe Approved Centre enables us to deliver a wide range of first aid training specific to the needs of all land based industries. Our training will focus on students achieving qualifications in first aid as well as enhancing our short course provision to industry.

 Natalie Parsons, Director of WorkSafe Training, said:

Partnering with Plumpton College takes advantage of the subject expertise of the lecturers to deliver essential first aid skills to students looking to work in a specialised industry. We look forward to working with Ian and the new instructors more closely and providing certificates to their students who qualify in first aid.

WorkSafe’s courses are interactive with practical resources and plenty of hands-on experience. A variety of theory-based and practical training ensures students become confident first aiders.

For more information about WorkSafe Training visit www.worksafetraining.co.uk