5 ways Harper Adams grows fresh talent for the food sector

Fostering a shared agenda across a strong professional network

What our students have in common is a desire to make a difference.

We believe passionately in what we do at Harper Adams and our students share that agenda.

With 7.7 billion people to feed (a figure expected to rise to 9.6 billion by 2050) and a planet to protect, the stakes could scarcely be higher.

In the UK, the food and drink industry is the biggest private manufacturing sector – larger than the automotive and aerospace industries combined*.

It employs 4.1 million people** – 13% of national employment.

And opportunities are growing as technology advances, consumer preferences change and demand becomes increasingly global.

The benefit of studying at Harper Adams is that our expertise, courses and students span the entire food chain, from field to fork.

As such, you will experience the connections of real life food businesses from day one and develop your network as you progress.

A vast range of food-related companies seek graduates from Harper Adams University, valuing their industry-linked education, rounded experience gained through the placement year, and knowledge developed from the application of relevant science.

The application of science – developing work-ready graduates

Every degree course at Harper Adams includes a placement year.

The reason is simple: employers want graduates who have real-world experience as well as knowing their subject inside out.

During that year you’ll be addressing challenges, learning new things, meeting people, making decisions, managing money and even staff, planning ahead, using your initiative and taking responsibility.

We see the difference in our students when they get back from placement – they’re more confident, focused and ready to take on the world!

They know better which path they want to take, and what they need to do in their final year of studies to get there.

Embracing technology

Our task is to equip people to find creative, sustainable solutions to the economic and environmental challenges facing the world, both now and in the future.

A global outlook is essential, as is the intelligent use of modern technology.

All our courses explore existing, new and emerging technologies and how they can be implements to improve business processes and decision making.

In fact, thanks to the growth in precision technology, we have now launched a dedicated Masters degree in Data Science for Global Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Widening Access for students from non-traditional backgrounds

You don’t need to have grown up on a farm to build a successful career in agriculture. Many of our graduates didn’t

To study Agriculture at Harper Adams you are required to have least ten weeks’ work experience on a commercial farm (but up to four weeks of other relevant experience is acceptable).

This is important to ensure applicants have an understanding of the type of industry that they are committing to, to help contextualise and underpin teaching in the early stages of the course; and to help to ensure that students have some basic practical skills prior to entering their placement year.

In recognition of the difficulty that this presents for some students from nonfarm or non-rural backgrounds, we have developed the Access to Agriculture programme that will be offered to selected BSc Agriculture and Extended FdSc Agriculture applicants if, at interview, we can see that you face real barriers to obtaining work experience.

The programme allows participants to gather their work experience during their first year at the university, which is supported by a dedicated tutor and access for free or at reduced rates to courses provided through our Land Based Skills Programme

Further initiatives to help students access higher education include contextualised offers (reduced grade requirements) for those facing specific challenges.

Nurturing entrepreneurialism

This is where like-minds come together, in an uplifting location that inspires innovation; where entrepreneurial spirit and sustainability are the lifeblood of activity; and where students are recognised and nurtured as individuals, but engage and connect with each other and the wider world to form powerful networks.

At Harper Adams you’ll have the opportunity to thrive and carve out not just a career, but an entire business, as many of our graduates have gone on to do, from farm diversification projects, to new food and drink products to the development of cutting edge technology .

Harper Adams graduates are, right now, helping businesses and communities, the rural sector and the world to flourish.

Find the degree that matters to you and you could be joining them – visit the website to explore courses or book to join an open day.

Explore the Harper Adams University Farm and learn how it supports education and research