Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2013 - (Page 78)

AGRICULTURE THE GOOD LIFE If you've got a passion for crops or livestock, why not grow a career in agriculture? WORDS: Jessie Bland | PICTURES: Getty Images, Shutterstock F 078 rom the eggs you scramble in the morning to the milk you drink before bed, the agriculture industry puts food on our plates each and every day – and could well see you as the breadwinner (pardon the pun) if you consider it as a career. Although an estimated 660,000 people are employed in the industry, the majority of people in the agriculture and environment sector will find themselves working within a small- or medium-sized company (SME) – in fact, 94% of businesses employ fewer than 10 people, according to the Lantra Skills Assessment Report, 2010/2011. As you may suspect, many jobs in agriculture are situated in rural locations, so if you already live “in the country”, a career in this industry may prove ripe for the picking – and if you don't, it may be worth considering relocating, or looking for roles related to agriculture that crop up in more urban areas: such as landscape gardening or horticulture (growing fruit and vegetables) for instance. After all, it's not only those in rural areas that have an interest in farming: Charles Dickens once famously admitted that cows were his passion! www.jobsandcareersmag.com The chain reacTion While you may not think of your dinner – and indeed all the food you consume – as such, it's all part of a large supply chain. It's the end result of a myriad of stages and a multiplicity of employees – just one piece in the larger food-chain puzzle. 1 Food production This is where it all begins: where the agriculture egg hatches so to speak. From eggs being produced in hatcheries on farms, to crops being grown and harvested in fields, the production process needs plenty of employees to keep all produce on track. Breeder or Farm Operatives are responsible for looking after livestock or crops throughout their growth cycle, while a Breeder Farm Manager for a poultry farm may be tasked with ensuring the company’s health and welfare standards for the chickens are kept high and vaccinations are given on time. Then, of course, there are the Tractor Drivers, and other employees, who keep the fields in tip-top shape. Roles in food production tend to be hands-on and require long hours and shift work. FACTFILE Agricultural workers have different rights to other employees – this means that they are usually entitled to: ✱ Paid holiday ✱ Minimum rates of pay (which may be higher than the National Minimum Wage) ✱ Agricultural Sick Pay ✱ Night Work Pay ✱ Pay even if bad weather stops work ✱ On-Call Allowance. http://www.jobsandcareersmag.com78

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2013

Ed's letter
Meet Hilary
News
Dress for success
Bags of style
Onwards and upwards
The path to enlightenment
On the job
Under operation
Under assessment
Question time
Rising up the ranks
Law and order
Make your search social
On the books
Getting graphic
Sowing the seeds
Making contact
On the move
Going green
Get the cogs turning
Building it up
On the factory floor
Engineering change
Take it up a gear
A rainy-day career
Bank on it
Full house
Talk shop
A clean slate
Hungry work
Quench your thirst
At your leisure
All's fair and square
Head in the clouds
Online round-up
Jobs & Careers - East Midlands
Jobs & Careers - North West
Jobs & Careers - South East
Jobs & Careers - South East
Jobs & Careers - South West

Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2013