Career change

[Mc115reed]

I agree that at the moment I am full of enthusiasm and do love the idea of the lifestyle and the job. Like @Lackey and @onesiedale did I'll just have to get started in the industry, accept that things will be tough to start with and see if it truly is for me.

Where abouts on the Staffordshire border are you from? [emoji28] pm me if you like....

 

[Lackey]

Now kicking myself as realised this was a prime opportunity for me to say I actually have a blog that sort of shows the change from us moving from a town / normal 9 to 5 living, to Cumbria and then how I stumbled into farming.

Escape to the Barn

Infiltrating the rural idyll

escapetothebarn.wordpress.com

Not sure if I am allowed to share the link but I don't make any money off the blog, am not affiliated with anyone and the only thing it promotes is my own incompetencies

There's also posts on general family life, adopting our kids and anything else that I think of.

 

[startinghandle]

I have just found this thread... the ideal farmer to learn from would be someone who is in their 60's at least and has never been to farming college
Who will show you how to assist with difficult lambing, will show you how to operate tractors and machinery and so on

 

[D14]

Hello,

I am in my mid 20s and am currently in the final year of a Bsc Psychology degree. My initial aim was to use my degree to work towards a career related to psychology or healthcare. However, I have always had an interest in the countryside and rural life, with a yearning to spend my days outdoors in all weathers, so I am considering pursuing a career in farming (ideally livestock). I do not have a family background in farming nor do I have any relevant work experience, so I appreciate I would have to start from the bottom rung of the ladder (n.b I am unable to work on a voluntary basis or relocate due to family commitments). With this in mind, is there anyone that can offer me advice on the potential routes I could take to begin a career in farming?

p.s. I am aware the RAU offers a Graduate Certificate in Agriculture which, according to their website, can lead to a career in farm management, but I am unsure of how realistic it would be for me to find a position considering my lack of farming experience.

Thank you for your time.

Farm management will come from experience and not a certificate. You'll need a proven track record to end up managing otherwise the staff will run rings around you. So if I was you I would put that on the back burner for 10 years at least.
Theres plenty of work on farms at the moment though because reliable staff are hard to come by. If you are conscientious and reliable you will make a career out of it.
A good route in for you would be relief milking which will pay very well when you know what your doing and then maybe a couple of livestock farmers locally for part time work. Keep it varied and go self employed if I was you to begin with so you can work in lots of areas to gain as much experience as possible.
The fact that you will have a degree behind you speaks volumes though so make sure you make that known because you clearly have a brain in your head unlike so many others that think they can work on a farm.

Remember from the farmers point of view he needs to know he's leaving his animals with somebody who will always do the right thing. Thats the most important thing and if that's fine, then you will be trustworthy, reliable, punctual and above all work safely with common sense.

 

[Classichay]

Go do your welding certificates if you want a career that pays well. Doing my coding gets me work when I’m quiet and if your good on machines and welding with your spraying tickets you can ask a damned sight more than a casual trailer jockey

 

[kfpben]

If you like livestock get some weekend work on a dairy farm. Don’t ‘volunteer’, make sure you are paid.

I regard dairy as ‘peak farming’, more intense than the other sectors, you always need to be on the ball. Any other type of farming will seem a breeze after getting used to dairy.

 

[l'ordinary bonville]

I would keep your original career going and find local work on evenings/weekends/holidays.
Only then will you know whether the hours can work for your situation.
No farming that i know of is 9-5

 

[PipiscAzke]

My status is still immigrant, and I have already about half a year since I struggle to look for a job. I submitted the necessary documents to several companies but no response. Finally, I was about to lose hope when an acquaintance of my family recommended accessing remote QA tester jobs. I had no other way, so I filed the documents there too. In the near time, I received a response from 2 companies. I was thrilled and want to say that never give up, fight as hard as you can because everyone is entitled to a chance.