Help needed to cultivate new farm skills – and careers

The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture is asking farmers and growers to help test a new skills and careers platform.

Due to launch next year, the platform will help people fulfil their potential – helping the industry thrive, says TIAH chairman David Fursdon. The fragmented approach to skills and training must change, he adds.

“Agriculture and horticulture are undergoing huge changes,” says Mr Fursdon. “As farmers and growers aim to ensure their businesses are profitable and environmentally sustainable, it’s essential that the industry has a workforce that is fit for the future.

He adds: “Continued professional development will therefore be key if individuals and businesses are to enhance their existing skills – and in many cases, acquire new ones – to help them successfully navigate the changing landscape.”

The online platform will bring existing and new training opportunities from across the industry into one central hub. “The aim is that we’ll make skills and career development more accessible to all,” says Mr Fursdon.

“The system will sign-post users to relevant training courses and information, depending on their aspirations. This will hopefully make everyone’s life easier, in terms of understanding what skills are needed for progression, and where they can be acquired.”

Achievements

The digital platform will also provide independent records and collate personal achievements. “Where required, this information can be used to demonstrate compliance and will also help to simplify audits and record keeping across the industry.”

Before making the online platform available to the wider industry in 2023, TIAH is launching a pilot scheme to give farmers and growers the opportunity to help cultivate the system its final stages.

“While there is a clear need for such a service, we want to ensure that it’s intuitive to use and that the information available supports professional development in a simple yet practical way,” explains Mr Fursdon. 

“We’re therefore looking to recruit active farmers and growers from across England to become ‘TIAH Cultivators’, who can help us test the system this summer.”

By signing up to take part in the pilot scheme, individuals will have the unique opportunity to shape the future of agricultural and horticultural skills and careers services, while helping to safeguard the future of the industry.

“All that we ask of our TIAH Cultivators is a small-time commitment – approximately 20 minutes every two weeks – to test, review and feedback on various elements of the platform. In return, participants will be entered into a monthly prize draw,” says Mr Fursdon.

For details, call 0330 174 4290 or visit
https://tiah.org/tiah-cultivators.