Why you should consider a land-based apprenticeship

The opportunity to earn while you learn will be an appealing prospect for many young people. So what’s involved in a land-based apprenticeship and could one be right for you?

Some young people dream of heading off to university or college, but there are plenty for whom the idea of another three or four years in a classroom just isn’t an option.

It’s not that they don’t have the talent, ambition or desire to gain the skills and qualifications they need for their chosen career path. But they are looking for alternative ways to kick-start their career than full-time study and, for many of them, an apprenticeship is the perfect choice.

See also: For the latest careers news and advice from Farmers Weekly 

Richard Self, panel chairman of the agriculture, environment and animal care stream of the Institute of Apprenticeships, says the opportunity to earn while you learn is one of the main appeals of apprenticeships.

“Tuition fees for university are a barrier to a lot of people and so the idea of being able to study without incurring big student loans is very attractive,” he says.

“Some people just don’t want to get into debt, while other families simply can’t afford for their kids to go to university.

“However, I think there are also some people who are very practically minded who choose an apprenticeship because they prefer the idea of developing their skills while on the job.”

Why employers like apprenticeships

Mr Self says that the apprenticeship model is particularly strong in the field of agricultural engineering and the poultry sector, where employers have recognised that the best way to secure the highly skilled workforce they need is to “grow their own” staff.

But this is something that more employers in the food and farming industry need to acknowledge.

Most farm businesses are now employing a wide range of technology and need higher levels of skills among their employees than they might have in the past.

The farming industry has also traditionally relied on high levels of migrant labour – with many currently in supervisory and management positions.

As Brexit approaches, farmers could need to find new ways to meet their labour requirements.

What does it involve?

Apprenticeships can take between one and five years to complete and combine on-the-job learning with a formal training programme, usually delivered by local land-based colleges, either through a day- or block-release arrangement.

The apprentice is paid a wage and gets full employment rights, including eligibility for holiday pay, from the day they start work.

The government sets down a National Minimum Wage for apprentices, which is currently £3.50/hour for under-19s and anyone in the first year of their apprenticeship.

However, some employers will pay over and above these rates.

What are the options?

Traditional three-level framework apprenticeships in the land-based sector comprise Level 2 (intermediate), Level 3 (advanced) and a limited number at Level 4 (higher).

These frameworks still exist, but reforms recommended by the 2012 independent Richard Review are beginning to bring big changes.

For the past two years, employer-led panels have been acting on the reforms, developing what are known as “trailblazer” apprenticeships. These introduce standards that are more relevant to employers and have a more rigorous end-point assessment.

The panels have set down the knowledge, skills – and, for the first time, behavioural standards – they will expect of apprentices to make sure they can quickly slot into the workplace.

A trailblazer apprenticeship in land-based service engineering (Level 3) was rolled out in September 2017 and more are expected to follow in the new year, including stockperson (Level 2), crop technician (Level 3) and packhouse line leader (Level 3).

Degree-level apprenticeships

The days when apprenticeships were viewed as something for less academic students are also long gone.

Although it isn’t yet possible to study for a degree-level apprenticeship in agriculture, plans are in motion to make this a reality.

Degree-level apprenticeships are already available in some related fields.

For example, poultrymeat company Moy Park is working in partnership with the National Centre for Food Manufacturing at the University of Lincoln and Nottingham Trent University to deliver a four-year, degree-level apprenticeship in food science technology.