Welsh farms urged to open doors to young people
Sheep shearing training has proved successful © Green Careers Pathway Farmers across Wales are being urged to help bring young people into agriculture by offering farm visits, work experience and employment opportunities.
The National Lottery-funded Green Careers Pathway supports 16- to 30-year-olds from under-represented backgrounds into green careers, with agriculture attracting strong interest.
See also: How two livestock farmers give back to their communities
The programme, which operates around Newport and Swansea, is looking to build links with more farms following interest from young people and previous successful placements in the region.
Strategic lead Michelle Impanni said: “If there were any farmers interested, we could organise behind-the-scenes visits for groups of young people to see how a farm works.
“We can then arrange work experience and take it from there.”
The scheme already works with Swansea Community Farm, where participants gain practical experience through volunteering, while others have completed sheep shearing training with British Wool.
Support can continue into employment, with the programme helping employers find suitable candidates and assisting young people with transport costs, work clothing and workplace adjustments.
Finding a farming future
Tegan Hope was working in a fast-food restaurant and feeling “a bit lost” before beginning an environmental studies degree and joining a Green Careers Pathway traineeship at Swansea Community Farm.
The experience has given her hands-on livestock skills, including sheep shearing, while helping her explore how farming and sustainability can work together.
Tegan Hope demonstrates her shearing skills © Green Careers Pathway
She described learning to shear as “challenging in the best type of way”.
“It was hard, but I loved it,” she says.
“The experiences I’ve had, the opportunities I’ve had have been next level.”
Tegan believes that giving young people practical exposure to agriculture is important for the industry’s future.
“Unless you’re going to give young people or other people who don’t really have those experiences a chance to be around them, then that passion is going to die,” she says.
“We need as much support for our farmers as possible, and the only way to get that support is to reach out for young people who want to be there and want to learn.”
Farmers interested in taking part can contact the Green Careers Pathway team.
