Work Placement Agriculture Jobs

Leading work placement employers

Helping you find a career in the agriculture industry

Agriculture is one of the oldest industries in the world. The very first villages in history were made possible through the discovery of agriculture and, in the 100,000 years since, we've found new and exciting ways to grow crops, raise livestock and distribute food.

A career in agriculture is perfect for those with a fondness for nature. Jobs in agriculture can range from working the land itself to thinking through new agricultural methods needed to meet population growth. Science plays a more important role in agriculture than ever before as we consider the effects of our agricultural practices on climate change. If you want to help make a more sustainable world in which everyone is fed, agriculture may be for you!

Much agricultural work is done independently, so it's perfect for all you introverts out there. It can also be physically demanding so it will keep you fit whilst you earn money.

A farmworker will earn an average of £25,500 while an experienced nature conservation officer will earn somewhere between £30,000-£40,000. Technical managers earn around £40,000.

Many companies offer work placements in all sorts of areas of the agriculture industry which may help you decide on whether agriculture is right for you. It is a large industry with lots of different fields and room for growth, so a work placement will help you narrow your interests down.

N Written by Navdeep

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FAQs

FAQs

Skills & interests you'll need

You'll need a strong interest in nature for a job in agriculture. A large proportion of agricultural jobs will require you spend a lot of time in forests, fields and farms, so you'll need to be comfortable in these environments. Some jobs will require more specific qualifications than others. A farm hand will not require any formal qualifications, but will need to have strong organisational skills and be comfortable around animals and heavy machinery. A conservationist, however, will require a degree in a field such as biology or geography.

However, more and more of the agriculture industry involves less hands-on work and more administration and sales. If you are interested in the corporate side of things, there is plenty of work for administrators, sales executives and retail management. These jobs will require less manual labour, but may require specific skill sets or qualifications in fields such as business management, mathematics or biology.

How to get Agriculture internships, work experience or placements

For certain positions within agriculture, such as farm-hand work, very little experience is required. However, any work experience that you can get in the field of agriculture will be beneficial for your career prospects. Farm work is a good, accessible way to get a feel for the industry.

Certain positions within the agriculture industry will require specific experiences. The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust offers year-long placements for undergraduates which can be a great way into the industry.

For the business side of agriculture, experience in management and experience can be great to make your CV stand out, even if not in the field of agriculture. Make sure you have detailed knowledge of the agricultural industry so that you can demonstrate why the skills you have picked up during your work experience can be applied to the agricultural industry.

Read more about the Agriculture industry

The Royal Agricultural Society of England: RASE
The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland: RHASS
The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society
The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society: RUAS