A new national college for those pursuing land based careers was launched at the House of Lords last week. The National Land Based College [NLBC] will be a ‘virtual college’ creating a hub for leading colleges, universities and industry experts to collaborate on dynamic new courses tailored for, and responsive to, this vital part of the UK economy.

‘Our food and farming industry generates over £100 billion for the UK economy, employing one in eight people. We are very ambitious for the agricultural sector’s future and want to see it become a leading career destination for high-flying students, entrepreneurs and new entrants,’ said George Eustice, Minister for Farming, Food and Marine Environment. ‘I am delighted to see the National Land Based College come to fruition.

Courses will be delivered through the UK’s specialist land based colleges, a new online platform and by industry experts in their workplaces – blended learning that will balance theory with practical skills training.

The newly formed NLBC has appointed its first chief executive officer.  Leigh Morris joins from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland where he was Director of Community Conservation. He is a Trustee of the Marine Conservation Society and a previous chair of the Grow Careers initiative for the horticultural industry.

He said ’Farmers and those in land based industry maintain 75 percent of land in the UK. These custodians of our countryside face diverse and increasing pressures, from the drive towards environmental sustainability to concerns about food security and public health. The goal of NLBC is to equip this, and associated workforces, with the skills they need to flourish,’.

The NLBC hub will actively promote land based careers in collaboration with organisations such as Bright Crop and Grow Careers, and will work to attract the very best people into the sector. Its online platform will also function as a portal, linking to diverse land based organisations and a CPD register for graduates.

NLBC has a board of 21 directors, ten principals from UK land based colleges and universities, ten from industry leaders, and Lord Curry. It is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Seed funding has been provided by Landex member colleges, Landex, and City and Guilds who contributed £250,000 from their National Proficiency Test Council fund. NLBC will receive a percentage payment for all City and Guilds land based qualifications endorsed by the college. 

Further information: National Land Based College, Sunley Conference Centre, University of Northampton, Northampton, NN2 7AL 01604 893522