- Company: Plumpton College
- Closing Date: 28-02-2023
- Location: Plumpton, Lewes BN7 3AE
- Salary: National Living Wage
- Hours: 40hpw. Monday to Friday 7.30am till 5pm initially
- Benefits: Free onsite parking, use of the onsite gym,
We are recruiting for an enthusiastic Apprentice Farm Worker to work alongside our full-time staff. They will attend the college to undertake a Level 2 or 3 in General Agriculture and learn from our experienced farm staff.
Hours: 40 per week. Monday to Friday 7.30am until 5pm. When experience builds then working weekends and regular overtime will become available.
Salary: National Minimum Wage
If you have an interest in agriuculture, are logical, patient, have good communication skills and have a desire to progress in responsibility we'd like to hear from you.
Lambert Farm is the commercial farm belonging to Plumpton College. The farm stretches to 800Ha over a number of sites and carries the following enterprises:
- A 250-cow dairy herd. The herd is split into two groups, one is milked robotically and the other is milked in a Herringbone Parlour. Replacements are reared on site and beef calves are sold to a local farmer.
- A herd of 50 pedigree Sussex suckler cows. The herd is split into a Spring and Autumn calving herd and spend the majority of their time living outdoors on The Downs where they are used for conservation grazing.
- A herd of 100 sows producing 2500 progeny per year for the local meat trade. The herd is housed in a brand-new unit which is of a very high welfare standard and incorporates the latest electronic ventilation and feeding systems.
- A flock of 450 ewes incorporating a pedigree flock of Southdowns lambing in March and a commercial flock lambing in March.
- A forage and arable enterprise producing a range of crops for sale or for consumption by our livestock.
Purpose of the role
To support the operation of farm enterprises through maintaining a culture of health and safety, biosecurity, engaging with academic staff/students, maintaining crop, animal handling and health, maintenance and cleanliness of the farm and machinery. The apprentice will typically be required to drive farm vehicles and must hold the appropriate license, though training will be available to the successful candidate. The individual will work alongside our farm and enterprise managers, supporting daily operations for the farm enterprises including feeding, bedding and maintaining animal health, fieldwork, conducting routine tasks and assisting with general record keeping practices. The successful candidate will help with the storage of forage and crops, minimizing waste and disposing of necessary waste appropriately. Animal welfare and risk awareness and prevention are integral to this occupation.
The Apprentice General Farm Worker will attend Plumpton College for a day, once per fortnight, to study Level 2 General Agriculture. External training will also be available for e.g. Rough Terrain Forklift Training and Pesticide Applications.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with:
The internal farm team reporting to the Farm Manager, academic staff, other college staff as required and with a number of external stakeholders including vets, agronomist, contractors, and other consultants to the business.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for:
Carrying out routine work set by their supervisor, to the required business standards. This includes assisting with animal and crop tasks, maintaining health and safety and biosecurity, operating farm vehicles and optimizing the environmental impacts of animal and crop performance. Office work is minimal although basic daily record keeping will be required and the ability to complete a series of e-learning modules to enable you to work in a college environment. Typical working hours are Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5.00pm with every other weekend worked as required and also overtime to help with harvest. Working hours may have to be adjusted to comply with UK employment law.
Our values
With over 3,000 students, excellent resources and a drive for continuous improvement, Plumpton College is actively seeking staff who want to make a difference and be part of this exciting phase of our development. At Plumpton College we are Ambitious & Progressive, Enterprising, Professional, Supportive, and Passionate about everything we do – if you share these values and would like to be part of our growing team then we’d like to hear from you!
We reserve the right to call candidates to interview/withdraw this vacancy at any time if there is a good level of response. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application as soon as possible.
Plumpton College is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities and is dedicated to pursuing non-discriminatory policies and practices and eliminating unfair discrimination on any basis.
Plumpton is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.