07/02/2011

The agricultural sector's AgriSkills Forum has thrown its weight behind Apprenticeship Week, which starts today.

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The coalition government is clearly keen to put apprenticeships at the heart of its skills strategy. The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has announced that the budget for apprenticeships will increase to more than £1,400m in 2011 to 2012.

NFU Deputy President, and chairman of the AgriSkills Forum, Meurig Raymond said: “This is great news and while apprenticeships are only one of a range of entry opportunities into farming we recognise their importance in attracting and encouraging young people into a successful career in agriculture.

“British farmers and growers provide the building blocks to the UK’s food and drink industry which adds £23 billion to the national economy. And we have a well-documented set of challenges ahead; not least feeding nine billion more mouths by 2050 while using less water and natural resource.

“Attracting dynamic young people into the industry is essential if we are to have a thriving food and farming sector in the future.”

The NFU will use its survey as part of its work within AgriSkills to find out more about the awareness of apprenticeship schemes within agriculture and horticulture, and the possible barriers to uptake. The results will inform discussions with Defra, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Lantra. Click here to take part.

Apprenticeship Week runs from February 7-14 to celebrate the talent, skill and value young apprenticeships bring to a business.

The AgriSkills Strategy is the first to be developed by industry for industry. It portrays a profession of highly skilled and technically knowledgeable farmers and growers in a priority industry that seeks to be fully valued and seen as an attractive career of choice. Download it here. 

• Visit the NFUonline training and skills pages here.