A SCHEME to bring back age-old countryside skills by training young apprentices has proved a big success in the North York Moors National Park.

The park set up the initiative because of its concerns that young people were moving away from the area to find work.

The number of skilled craftsmen was on the decline to carry out countryside management skills at a time when demand for them is on the rise said Richard Grunton, the park authority's head of services.

He said a team of eight apprentices under supervisor, Steve Young, have been carrying out work on a wide range of management skills. In addition they have been given academic training, assessment and monitoring by Scarborough Training Services, and been able to achieve practical qualifications.

"The team has been extremely successful" Mr Grunton told park authority members. "They have exceeded all targets, carried out very high quality work, and all are on course to successfully complete the first 15 months training, leading to an NVQ level and the Foundation Modern Apprenticeship.

Now, £26,000 is to be put into the scheme following talks with Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency, and the Learning Skills Council while the apprentices are set to continue in the scheme with their training

allowance increasing from £100 to £160 a week.

"It is enabling us to improve the quality of the landscape, quality of lifein the park, as well as recreation and access to the countryside" said Mr Grunton.

Updated: 11:03 Monday, December 08, 2003