Scholarship to fight poultry skills shortage

The British Poultry Council in conjunction with industry and educational partners has announced a new scholarship program to train young people wanting to enter the poultry sector.

Announced at the Pig and Poultry Fair 2010 at Stoneleigh Park the scheme will cover second and third year tuition fees and provide a year of working placement.

Cranberry Foods agricultural director Clay Burrows said the industry faces challenges recruiting enough workers, with a majority of workers in the sector over 40.

“A potential skills gap is emerging and the poultry sector must take a direct approach, over the next five years the agriculture sector will need 10,000 new staff,” Mr Burrows said.

Mr Burrows, who has worked in the industry for 25 years, said if the scholarship had been available when he attended college it would have been invaluable.

“You were sort of let out into the big wide world when I finished my studies and left to find your own career path,” he said.

“I think more people will think of it as a career.”

Harper Adams University College, Shropshire principal, David Llewellyn said the aim of the scholarship was about the future of the industry.

“We want to get people really enthused about the future of this sector and the importance of it to the UK economy, the way in which we actually have to serve the consumer and the food security requirements,” Dr Llewellyn said.

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