5 reasons to enter the 2016 Farmers Apprentice

The third Farmers Apprentice competition is open and ready for entries until April 30 2016.

We are looking for bright, enthusiastic and highly motivated 18-25 year olds able to show their potential to run a successful business.

You don’t need to have a farming background, but you will need to be free from 10-15 July to take part in bootcamp and available to take up a one-year internship with Farmcare sometime afterwards.

Here are five compelling reasons why you should enter NOW at www.farmersapprentice.co.uk.

© Richard Stanton

1. The prize

This is your fast track to becoming a farm manager.

The winner of this year’s Farmer Apprentice has a one-year internship with Farmcare, one of Britain’s biggest farming operations.

They will receive mentoring and training across the whole of Farmcare’s operations which span 16,000ha from Carnoustie to Kent. 

This is a chance in a lifetime to learn about the whole field to fork operation with one of UK’s leading farm businesses; experience and skills that can be applied to almost any food or farming business.

See also: The £25,000 job you could win with Farmers Apprentice

© Richard Stanton

2. The bootcamp experience

You will need plenty of energy and enthusiasm to last the six days and nights of full-on “fun” at bootcamp. Bishop Burton, just outside Hull, is the setting for challenges that will test your problem solving, leadership and team-working skills to name but a few. You will be pushed out of your comfort zone and you will come away exhausted, but inspired, and energised to tackle your dreams.

Here’s what previous contenders said of Bootcamp:

 “Bootcamp was life-changing, no seriously it fuels the fire.” Richard Bradley

 “Supercalafragalisticexpialadoshus. Great experience, huge learning curve revealing things you never knew about yourself.” Annabelle Story

 “Eye-opening, enriching and valuable… an experience I will never forget.” Charlotte Foxhall

 “The best week of my life, honestly.” Sophie Barnes

And if you still need convincing have a look at this taster of life at Bootcamp.

© Richard Stanton

3. Your CV

This is an opportunity, whether you win or not, to make your CV stand out. It has worked for all the other 20 contenders so far and it should work for you too.

Whether applying for a job, internship or work experience having a week at the Farmers Apprentice Bootcamp is unique. It is your personal brand image that you are building – and the evidence is all on film.

“After winning Farmers Apprentice in 2012, a farmer in Cumbria tweeted me saying to pop in and say hello, I took him up on this and now he is my boss.” George Brown, Dairy Herd Manager, Cairnhead Farm in Ainstable, Cumbria

“I can say for sure that being a 2014 finalist has helped to improve my CV, and helped me to get my placement with Genus.” Rebecca Kelsall, Harper Adams University

“When I applied for a job with Bayer, some of the people that were interviewing me had already seen me on Farmers Apprentice. It gave me a foot in the door and was a great ice-breaker.” Catherine Barrett, commercial technical adviser, Bayer CropScience

“It has done a great deal to make my CV stand out as a candidate for new positions, this is something that employers have actually told me.” Kate Yells, Royal Agricultural University

© Richard Stanton

4. The contacts you will make

It is the people you and meet and know who shape your future. At Bootcamp you will have access to some key industry influencers that can support you in your future career – be they the sponsors (Bayer, New Holland, Farmcare, The Co-op and Bishop Burton) or the judges and experts involved in testing and mentoring you.

Equally important are your fellow Farmers Apprentice contenders; these are life-long friends in the making. Despite the “competitive” element of this week, there is a camaraderie and shared ambition that will bind you all.

 “I met a recruiter at Bootcamp and got a job as a Ruminant Nutritionist on the back of Farmers Apprentice 2014.” Carwyn Jones, account manager, For Farmers

© Richard Stanton

5. Fun

There are a lot of laughs and not just those that are at your expense. Trying not swear in front of the camera brings an added stress level, but it’s amazing what the film editor can do.

“My fondest memories of Bootcamp include lifetime friends, lessons learned, brilliant mentors and a lot of laughter.” Rebecca Thorpe, Newcastle Waters Station, Northern Territory, Australia