Agricultural contractor

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

Entry requirements:

College

You could take a course at agricultural college which may be useful when you start looking for work.

Courses include:

• Level 2 or 3 Award in Land Based Technology
• Level 2 or 3 Certificate in Agriculture
• T Level in Agriculture, Land Management and Production

Entry requirements:

• 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

The following apprenticeships may be relevant to this role:

• countryside worker intermediate apprenticeship
• land based service engineer intermediate apprenticeship
• land based service engineering technician advanced apprenticeship

Entry requirements:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

DirectApplication

You could apply directly to become an agricultural contractor. Employers will usually expect you to have experience of working with farm machinery.

Required Skills:

Digital skills : to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Skills:

• physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
• ambition and a desire to succeed
• the ability to work well with others
• knowledge of food production methods
• the ability to use your initiative
• persistence and determination
• the ability to organise your time and workload
• the ability to motivate and manage staff

What you'll do:

Agricultural contractors provide specialised, seasonal or temporary services to farmers.

Depending on your area of work specialism you could:

• process, mill and mix seeds
• spray and fertilise crops
• harvest crops
• help with animal husbandry like breeding calves and delivering lambs
• trim hooves or shear and dip sheep
• maintain and create new dry stone walling
• erect fencing
• do excavation or drainage work

Location : You could work on a farm.
Environment : Your working environment may be physically demanding, outdoors in all weathers and you'll travel often.

Salary:

Starter : £0
Experienced : £0

These figures are a guide

Working hours:

44 - 46 hours seasonal

Working Pattern is evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

Career Path:

With experience, you could move into teaching, training or consultancy.

You could also work for private companies or co-operatives that offer management services to farms.