Following on from my blog

http://www.fwi.co.uk/community/blogs/viewfromtheotherside/archive/2009/01/25/college-is-a-place-to-learn-what-a-bad-lesson-some-college-s-give.aspx

I am opening up a thread to debate what we should be teaching our Agriculture Students and Future Farmers.  Until we can decide this how can we expect to be able to educate our youngsters and the wider public about our industry?

As a mature (or not so mature according to my lecturers!) student I find the pace of my ND course slow.  However as I'm only doing it part time and have a full time job I am now a little pleased as it means I can keep up.  But I can see how some of the full time students are easily straying towards the path of least resistance (an easy life).  They have a steep learning curve having not long since left school and are fast becoming adults whether they like it or not.

We do mollycoddle our children these days.  What they need is responsibility.  There is no faster way to learn than responsibility, getting things wrong and learning from your mistakes.  College should be encouraging these skills as well as formally educating the students.  However the students need to be engaged, if they are interested then they will soak up the information.

I'm going to be really controversial now!  I think qualification to the assurance schemes should include formal agricultural qualifications.  This would encourage life long learning and may actually save some business's that were stagnating!  There could be tax relief to pay for the education and discount from entry to the assurance scheme.

I knew that would get you going.  Let The Debate Begin. 

Read the blog with alot of interest!

Firstly, i think its terrible that this young ladys blog has been took off! We always hear people saying how we should be encouraging next generations to enter farming, well why do we have people harrasing her? I read the blog in question, and ive never found it offensive to anyone or any group/institution and even if it was, i know for a fact Fwispace boss, Isabel would be straight there to get it out?! So, that leaves the question, what was the matter with it? If someone would like to let me know, it would be much appreciated, email/PM or post it on here please as i do not see why there was a reason to annoy her!!!!!??????

So, in future, would it be preferable for me to blog about how great farming is, theres no troubles and the grass is green? Shall i complain about nothing? Shall i say Defra is fantastic, i love them? Or, actually, shall i not bother? If people are going to behave the way they have over a web log then how is there any hope for next generations to farm when they cant even do something as simple as write about what they love and are passionate about!?

Onto something a bit more pleasing... as a lad passionate about the agricultural industry, with no family farm i can tell you first hand what the next generaton needs.

Encouragement, Responsibility and Knowledge. I wrote an article on this subject or very similar at the end of 2008 which was in talking point. To encourage the next generation, give us some responsibility, encourage us and try and teach us along the way! Theres alot of people who do this - Owd Fred mus be mentioned, Kansas Farmer and loads more to go on the list!