Menu

Know How / Careers and personal development

From getting your first job in agriculture to maintaining your work skills and developing your career, we provide advice and insights. Find out what courses, qualifications and experience can help you get your foot on the ladder and how to make your CV attractive to future employers.

Hear from others working in agriculture to discover the range of different careers and find the one that’s right for you.

Key areas of focus:

  • Guidance on qualifications and careers in agriculture
  • Applying for jobs
  • CV writing and interview tips
  • Job profiles
  • Skills development

Find your perfect career in agriculture on the Farmers Weekly jobs website.

Case studies

See all

SHEEP

How a new entrant built 1,000-ewe flock 125 miles from home

A Monmouthshire anthropologist-cum-sheep-breeder has built and rebuilt a flock of 1,000 ewes and is still looking for the security of a tenancy.  James Edwards, now 39, has spent most his…

LIVESTOCK

How swapping jobs with dairy farm owner helped a new entrant

An owner and farmworker have swapped places on a dairy farm on the Welsh Borders. The reversal of roles for semi-retired farmer Philip Davies and his former herd manager, Hannah…

ASSESSING PERFORMANCE

How a new entrant got backing to set up in dairy

A simple, once-a-day system, relying on grazed grass and spring-block calving, was the step into dairy farming for new entrant Nick Cavill. The first cups went on in 2018 and…

LIVESTOCK

How time working off-farm can bring new skills home

Born-and-bred livestock farmers can benefit hugely from working off-farm before coming home to continue in the business. Whether it is a job on another farm, within the industry, or outside…

YOUNG FARMERS

How new entrants set up an organic duck egg business

Ditching the city life for the Welsh countryside in 2015, Josh and Abi Heyneke moved to the 4ha Parc Carreg Farm, Carmarthenshire, with the goal of becoming full-time farmers.  But…

CAREERS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Becoming a trainer provides extra income stream for farmers

The squeeze on farm profits has driven the search for alternative incomes. Farmers becoming training instructors is one option that can help provide extra income. A dire safety record for…

Practical advice

See all

LIVESTOCK

How to transform dairy farming passion into financial success

Dairy farm operators who are clear about their goals and what they want to achieve have the number one attribute for success. With this, they will find ways around problems…

LIVESTOCK

Valuable business skills courses for dairy farmers

Many dairy farmers tend not to be driven by profit: satisfaction comes from a herd of fine cows, full clamps or milk in the tank. But being good at milking…

POULTRY

Advice on developing a well-trained poultry team

A team can make or break any business, and a poor poultry team can affect production as well as efficiency. NFU Poultry Board member Will Lea helps deliver staff training…

LIVESTOCK

Advice for livestock farmers on improving management skills

Taking stock at the end of the year and considering what you would like to achieve in 2024 might include a building project or filling some knowledge gaps. But it…

LIVESTOCK

How time working off-farm can bring new skills home

Born-and-bred livestock farmers can benefit hugely from working off-farm before coming home to continue in the business. Whether it is a job on another farm, within the industry, or outside…

COMMUNITY

Is an agricultural degree worth doing?

Over the past three years, figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency have shown a gradual climb in the number of students enrolling to study land-based and agricultural degrees. In…

Job profiles

See all

JOB PROFILES

Job profile: What’s it like to be a food scientist?

The journey of food from farm to fork can be a complex one – even seemingly simple products need to be processed and packaged before they can appear on a…

JOB PROFILES

What's it like to work in agricultural sales?

Does anyone grow up dreaming of becoming a salesperson? In truth, probably not. But there are those who would argue it is time to give agricultural sales jobs an image…

JOB PROFILES

Job profile: What it’s like to be a plant breeder

It’s not easy to become a plant breeder, but if you are passionate about crops, it can be hugely satisfying to see something you helped create growing in fields across…

JOB PROFILES

Job profile: What’s it like to be an arable farm foreman?

There is always strong demand for skilled farmworkers to work on farms up and down the country. These are roles where you could be given significant responsibility at a relatively…

JOB PROFILES

Job profile: Key account manager at ag buying group

Tom Goodwin works as a key account manager at Anglia Farms, anationwide agricultural buying group. He  joined Anglia Farmers (AF) as a machinery buyer 18 months ago and has recently…

JOB PROFILES

Job profile: What’s it like to be a field trials manager?

Agricultural trials play a crucial role in testing a huge range of farm inputs or practices, including seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. These products or practices need to be tested in…

Who to work for?

When looking for your next job, you need to make sure you and the company you are applying to are the perfect match for each other.

With this in mind, it’s always a good idea to read the company profile and see if it ticks the boxes on your career ‘wish list’.

Insights

See all

STAFF MANAGEMENT

How agricultural mentoring can benefit farm businesses

Amid the many challenges facing the farming industry, mentoring initiative Cultivate Success is empowering individuals with a six-month programme that aims to build resilience, foster leadership, and strengthen community spirit.…

COMMUNITY

Analysis: How hiring apprentices helps solve labour problem

For years, a large portion of the workforce in dairy, poultry and horticulture has come from abroad. However, since Brexit and with immigration policies tightening, this labour supply is no…

CAREERS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

What are the job prospects in food and farming?

Agriculture and the food supply chain remain major employers in the UK, with 462,000 people working on agricultural holdings in 2023, according to Defra’s June census. But cast the net…

Job listings

See more
See more on Farmers Weekly Jobs