Farming and agriculture

What does it involve?

The agriculture industry provides food and other materials for people and animals. Most of the work is done on farms - some farms are livestock only (animals such as sheep, beef cattle and pigs), some are arable (crops like wheat and maize) and others are a mixture which might also include plants.

Working on a farm usually means you'll spend a lot of your time outdoors and that means coping with all sorts of weather! You'll also need to be fit and strong and enjoy working with your hands.

Farm managers are responsible for the day-to-day running of a farm and that includes checking budgets, planning, keeping records and looking after staff. There are other jobs related to farming such as agricultural engineers who design and develop farm machinery and equipment, or animal nutritionists.

There are plenty of jobs available for people with a level 2 qualification but the higher your qualifications are, the more jobs will be open to you. Some jobs like an agricultural researcher or engineer can be entered at degree level. There are few jobs for people with no qualifications as these types of job (such as picking fruit or vegetables) are casual or seasonal which means you're taken on when needed.

What’s happening in the industry?

The agriculture industry is in decline and has been for some time. This is because of changes in technology, competition from overseas, concerns about food safety and economic pressures. The Foot and Mouth crisis of 2001 had a big affect on the farming industry with many farmers switching to tourism, recreation and conservation. Organic farming is now the fastest growing area in agriculture.

The workforce is ageing which means that skilled workers are needed to replace those who leave - LANTRA predict that 34,000 recruits with the right skills will be needed by 2012. More supervisors and managers will be needed in the future too.

Nottinghamshire information

How to get into this type of work

Your Personal Adviser will be able to discuss your options with you.

School or college - study for GCSEs, AS / A levels, NVQs or other vocational qualifications that could lead to a job, an Apprenticeship, further qualifications or even a degree.

e2e (Entry to Employment) - if you’re not sure if you’re suited to this job you might be able to get some work experience through e2e. It can also give you extra support to gain the right qualifications, get onto a training programme or get a job.

Apprenticeship - train ‘on-the-job’ with a wage or allowance. For the latest Apprenticeship vacancies in Nottinghamshire go to Vacancies Online.

Work or work with training.

Which skills?

Organisation
Team work (although some jobs involve working alone)
Health and safety

What else can I do?

Get some work experience.
Volunteer - there are plenty of volunteering opportunities in this sector.
Brush up on some of your skills such as ICT.
Read about farming and agricultural work on Jobs4U or look for the online EClips job descriptions in your school or nearest Connexions centre.
Talk to your Personal Adviser.

For courses go to MyChoiceNotts

For job and training vacancies go to Vacancies Online

For more job info go to Jobs4U

For useful links go to Fetch!