Whether you’re looking for a whole new career or just simply don’t know what else is out there for you, agriculture could be the answer you've been searching for.
To help shed a light on one of the best industries to work in, we’ve created this blog to give you the rundown of why a career in agriculture might be the path for you. We’ll also let you know if you need a degree to start your dream job, or whether there’s a chance for you to jump right in.
So, why work in agriculture?
Agriculture isn’t just farming
It’s a massive industry that contains a wide variety of skills, knowledge and careers that all come together to provide food, livestock, clothing and our very culture. Fundamentally, agriculture is the basis of every civilisation. Without it, the world just wouldn’t be the same. It’s one of the most rewarding and sought out careers that you could ever embark on.
With technology advancing and changing the industry, agriculture provides an exciting opportunity and a diverse number of career options. Recently, the agriculture industry has also faced a high growth in employment levels, making it one of the most desirable industries to work in right now.
Agriculture is also one of the fasted growing courses and degrees that students and young people enrol on. But, do you need a degree in agriculture to get started?
Do you need a degree to start a career in agriculture?
Answering this question isn’t quite as straightforward as it might appear.
Ultimately, it depends on what kind of career you want in agriculture. For most entry-level jobs, you don’t need a specific qualification. All the skills and knowledge that you need to excel in the field is taught with hands-on experience, meaning that an apprenticeship or work experience placement in the industry will be enough to get you started towards your dream job.
For other roles, you will need a degree or specific qualifications. However, this doesn’t always need to be in agriculture and can be from other areas or disciplines - which we’ll highlight below.
It's important to note that some employers will see degrees as an advantage, which will make you more desirable than other job candidates, helping you to succeed.
Agriculture degrees are also an excellent way of giving you knowledge about the industry and all the roles involved. So, you'll end up with a clearer idea of the path you want to take in the sector and how you can achieve it.
Getting started right now: what you don’t need a degree for
As mentioned in the previous section, there are some careers in agriculture where you don’t require a degree. Instead, hands-on experience and knowledge are all that you need to progress in this role.
These types of roles can include entry-level positions in agriculture, such as farm workers who usually learn all the skills on the job. If you’re looking to start out as a farm worker, it may be worth getting an apprenticeship level job or acquire work experience in your spare time.
From here you could also progress to other careers through experience, including farm managers.
In some cases, you could also apply for jobs such as agronomists without a degree. These are the people who specialise in improving and managing food crops and help control pests and weeds. Although it’s necessary to have knowledge in this area, there are no specific entry requirements and basic A-levels in science can be enough to get you started.
If you’re thinking of transitioning over from another career, the skills and experience you’ve picked up can be applied to the agricultural industry.
For example, if you have sales experience, you could become a dedicated agricultural sales manager. In addition, if you have marketing experience, you could also become a marketing specialist in the agricultural field. These types of careers are a great way to apply the skills and knowledge that you already have to a growing and advancing industry to build a life-long career you can be proud of.
Agricultural jobs that you do need a degree for
Like all industries, there are some agricultural jobs that you do need a specific qualification and degree for. However, it doesn't always need to be an agricultural specific degree - and can be something that you’ve already acquired or are working towards.
For example, you could start your career as an agricultural lawyer. Using your law degree, you can specialise in agricultural issues, including labour, marketing, land and pesticide use, water or other environmental issues.
In the same respect, there are a number of financial jobs and positions available in the agricultural industry. Perfect for those who have an analytical mind and prefer the comfort of an office environment, agricultural finance can include anything from helping farms manage their finances and books, to becoming a loan officer.
In addition, there are a number of careers available for agricultural vets. Hugely important and respected on farms, being a vet allows you to work directly with animals, keeping farms productive and ensuring all livestock is healthy.
Get started with your agricultural career today
There’s truly no limit to the diverse career opportunities available in agriculture today.
Whether you want to be outdoors on the land, want to use your scientific knowledge to better our food and resources or engineer state-of-the-art solutions to advance the industry, there’s a place for you. And as agricultural recruitment specialists, we’re here to help you find it.
We're worldwide leaders in agricultural and farming recruitment. This means we help people find their dream careers with placements made exactly for them. Want to get started? Why not see the careers we’ve got available on our website. There might be one with your name written all over it!
Need any extra help or information?
Agricultural Recruitment Specialists are the worldwide leader in headhunting and recruitment for agricultural and farming positions. Take a look at our website today www.agriRS.co.uk to see what farming and agricultural jobs are available within the management sector and progress your career in the right direction. Alternatively, contact our team on 01905 345 155 or email us for more information at info@agriRS.co.uk
