n By Keith Hatch


Zoe was keen to highlight the need to encourage a wide range of people to get involved and see working the land a viable career option.


Though Discover Farming is aimed at young people from the local area there are ideas to reach out and promote exchanges in the future from urban areas.


Zoe said, “The long-term goal is to have a cultural mix as farming is losing out through a lack of diversity. Cultural exchanges in the future would give a chance to learn and cook together and can break down barriers and share ideas.”


Along with interactive opportunities to try out, a Discover Farming Careers team set up stands in a nearby marquee run by local Young Farmers. The team were joined by regional agricultural colleges and learning providers who were on hand to talk to visitors about the range of careers available in agriculture today, along with the training opportunities that can help young people kick start those careers.


One of the colleges highlighting available courses was Bridgwater and Taunton College. The College’s Cannington Campus offers courses in agriculture, animal care and horticulture, with facilities including a 200-hectare


farm, an Agricultural Innovation Centre and an Animal Management Centre.


College NVQ Assessor Mark Nash was on the stand and said, “There has been a huge rise in interest in land-based skills, and the numbers of students has risen massively. There has also been an increasing number of female students taking up NVQs and apprentices.


“Students spend most of their time on farms working but come to the campus to study the academic side of things.”


Dorset currently has no dedicated Agricultural College offering apprentices, but Cannington has been using an outreach centre in Rampisham where students can access courses via a zoom classroom with the support of a tutor.


Another way that Discover Farming and the Melplash Agricultural Society helps young people get a step up onto a farming career is through its scholarship scheme.


The scholarship aims to “assist and encourage further education in agriculture and closely allied topics” and is an “annual scholarship to students aged 16 years and over who live within a 12-mile radius of Melplash Village Church.”


The scholarship offers financial assistance of up to £3,000 to help students with their apprenticeship, diploma or degree course. The recipients are awarded their scholarships at the show and at


29 uniteLANDWORKER Autumn 2024


the 2024 event students received support on a wide range of courses ranging from Diploma’s in Agriculture to T-Level’s in livestock management and crop production and included full time students and apprentices.


Melplash Agricultural Society Director, George Rendall, said, “We are delighted to award the 2024 scholarship to twenty local students.


“A total of £36,000 has been awarded, thanks to the very generous continued support of our sponsors and donors.


“The level of funding given to each student is variable; each application is assessed on its merits. In total since the scheme started in 2006 the Society has awarded 98 scholarships to the value of £262,000.”


With all this work going on you would think that the Discover Farming team has enough on its plate, but it recently created “a group of young enthusiastic and informed ‘mentors’ working in many of the different aspects of rural employment.”


The mentors hope to support young people thinking of taking this career path but who need help, encouragement and signposting, and are going into local schools and colleges enthusing students to consider a career in the broader aspects of agriculture.


With projects like Discover Farming putting resources and effort into inspiring the next generation of land workers the future for the sector will be in good hands.


All photos: Mark Thomas


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40