An industry-led apprenticeship scheme which is encouraging young people into careers in agriculture have now matched over 300 young people in apprenticeship placements.
EDGE Apprenticeships in Food & Farming has been operating for just over a year and a half, and throughout this time they have helped place young people from across the East of England in successful apprenticeships.
The 300th apprentice to join the programme is Jack Wood. Jack is studying for his Level 2 apprenticeship in Land-Based Service Engineering at Easton & Otley College through EDGE.
Jack who is 16, from Tiptree, Colchester, is working at Upsons Mowers in Maldon, Essex.
Jack’s tasks at work are different every day, he helps to recondition the mowers and has been helping with pre delivery inspections on the machinery, which includes changing blades and checking levels.
The former Thurstable High School student started working with Upson Mowers during the summer, he started as a part time, weekend employee and was offered the full time apprenticeship as result of his hard work. Originally Jack though he would like to be a graphic designer, but he enjoyed his work at Upson Mowers and wanted to make it permanent.
Jack said “with an apprenticeship I am gaining hands on experience, it will give me better opportunities as I will have a trade for life.”
His employer, Duncan Ninnis, said: “Jack is a breath of fresh air, he came here almost by accident and is now doing extremely well, much better than we expected of him and he gets on really well with the team.”
“Jack has been here for just over a month, and is already doing work that is saving our other employers time, he is definitely earning his wages!”
Upson Mowers decided to take on apprentice due to growing demand for their services, “We are always short of help, we have 9 employees but we are expanding, we decided to take on an apprentice as we wanted somebody to learn our way. Jack is going to college, will be qualified at the end of it and will have learnt his trade our way, thus fitting our business perfectly,” said Duncan.
Robert Upson, founded Upson Mowers 45 years ago, he thinks it’s important to encourage young people into the engineering sector, “The more young people who are interested in making and fixing things the better, there is a real job satisfaction in engineering, you get to see the process behind the end product”.
EDGE Apprenticeships in Food & Farming is a collaborative venture between agricultural purchasing groups Anglia Farmers and AtlasFram Group, in conjunction with Easton and Otley College, New Anglia LEP, Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council.
The programme is supported by £1.4million of co-investment from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES).
The project aims to recruit 440 apprentices by March 2015.
