Farmers impressed by new careers website launching next year

Aspiring farmers and growers are set to benefit from a new learning resource to help with their careers and professional development.

The online membership service, created by the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (Tiah), will launch next year and provide personalised information on skills and training.

Tiah provides careers support to people working in agriculture and horticulture, with the aim of improving the industry by helping staff and businesses fulfil their potential.

See also: Volunteers needed to help develop farming careers website

The website is being tested by 150 industry volunteers ahead of its rollout, and Tiah held an event at the House of Lords on Monday (24 October) to update ministers on the progress.

Surrey dairy farmer Jo Rason, who is testing the new service, says it will be a useful tool for young farmers.

“The team at Tiah have made taking part so easy, fitting around us as busy farmers, and have completely understood what we are looking for,” Ms Rason said.

“Farming is changing fast, with all sectors in desperate need of finding and keeping staff. Having two sons also involved in agriculture, I am passionate that farming doesn’t get forgotten for the younger generation. 

“To them, it can look incredibly daunting, so any help that can be given to them that is available 24 hours a day can only be a good thing.”

Lords event

A group of 30 young people were guests at the House of Lords event, including young farmers and members of the NFU’s Next Generation Forum and the Oxford Farming Conference’s Inspire programme, which is sponsored by Tiah.

Eveey Hunter, chair of the NFU Next Generation Forum, said: “The forum has been following Tiah since the beginning and it was great to be invited today and learn about the progress to date.

“Tiah’s planned signposting for new entrants is encouraging, considering the work our forum has done with new entrants over the past couple of years.

“A number of our members are TIAH cultivators [testing the new service] so we are actively involved in its development. We would encourage others to get involved in this exciting collaborative opportunity.”

The event was sponsored by Lord Curry of Kirkharle, who is Tiah’s founding patron.

He said: “One of Tiah’s key focus areas is to support professional development, so we wanted to ensure that the group, who represent the next generation of farming and growing, had an opportunity to discuss Tiah and to build their networks by meeting a range of individuals from the worlds of policy and agriculture and horticulture.”

Defra farming minister Mark Spencer also attended and said he was “buoyed by the young farmers I met and their enthusiasm for the industry”.