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With 74% of the land surface in the UK under agricultural production and
consumers’ yearly expenditure on food, drink and catering totalling almost
£150bn, everyone in the world is affected by the agri-food sector. And there
are hundreds of ways to be involved.
According to Lantra’s most recent statistics, in the UK there are:
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235,000 farm businesses
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1150 fish farms
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4000 land-based engineering businesses
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5000 specialist fencing contractors
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6700 floristry companies
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13,000 production horticulture businesses
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13,300 animal welfare enterprises
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6000 equine businesses
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4900 organisations in the environmental sector
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9000 wildlife and game management employers
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38,000 landscaping businesses
Fruitfuljobs.com is fast becoming the portal for anyone interested in making a
career in the industry; from microbiologist to freight supervisor or farm
manager to retail executive – and there are great opportunities for progression
and diversification.
Awareness of conservation and the environment is increasing and people from all
backgrounds are rethinking their education and career options accordingly. Some
agricultural colleges now include business management as an essential element
of their courses. Growing interaction with schools and colleges and
collaboration with companies such as Fruitfuljobs.com mean the land-based
industries are taking training and recruitment increasingly seriously.
Employers are becoming more realistic – they do not, for example, expect their
horticulturalists to be managers or their managers to be horticulturalists.
Training is key. Meanwhile, employees seeking a challenge are more confident
about entering the industry because its image is increasingly modern, its
nature more diverse. Experience, a solid background and understanding of the
related industries are important, but the need for conscientious and incisive
professionals is also vital.
Although businesses range in size from sole traders to multinationals, the
majority of companies are relatively small so all employees play an important
role. You will find you are expected to draw on existing skills and to develop
new ones; such as, marketing, public relations, sales, accounts, stock control,
health and safety etc, as well as practical and technical skills.
A study carried out by Lantra found that 1½ million people are employed (plus
half a million volunteers) by over 400,000 employers within the environmental
and land-based sector, comprising of 17 industries split into 3 categories;
land management and production, animal health and welfare and environmental
industries. Defra analysis reveals that the farming, manufacturing, wholesale
and retail industries employ 2.4 million people.
Qualifications
There are various ways of gaining agricultural qualifications, including
full-time or part-time courses at one of almost 50 UK colleges or universities
or on-the-job training. Most UK universities offer retailing or management
degrees. The industry is constantly changing as new legislation is brought in,
new varieties are developed and consumer demand changes so, once you have a
job, the training is ongoing.
The list of courses is endless, but below are some of the professional
qualifications a potential employer would look for.
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National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (N/SVQ)
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Legislative Tests and Craftsman’s Certificates
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First, National or Higher Diplomas
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National, Higher National or Advanced National Certificates
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RHS General Examination, Advanced Certificate or Master of Horticulture
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BSc/BA
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MSc/MA/MPhil/PHD
Fruitfuljobs.com allows you to search our database to find
jobs at all levels and locations and within all sectors. You can refine
your search to make it as specific as you wish. Meanwhile, after a candidate
has registered, employers have equal access to our database so they can search
for CVs and potential candidates. Your personal information cannot be viewed
online until employers have registered with us. We will introduce you to any
companies we consider suitable when a position arises that matches your
requirements. You will be in direct contact with the employer - we do not
interfere with any decision-making on either side. However, one of our industry
experts will always be available if you have any queries or are in need of
advice.
Contact us on 0870 7270050, 07740 086555 or info@fruitfuljobs.com
if you cannot find the information you require on our links section.
We understand qualifications and experiences change frequently, so
Fruitfuljobs.com has a facility where you can easily update
the CV you submitted so prospective employers always have your most
up-to-date information to hand.
Please click the link if you wish to read about
Fruitful Jobs General Terms & Conditions
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