Training young people in the industry

[dairyrow]

I'll keep it short. Had a trainee for 2 years and apparently she's upto level 2 in agriculture. But apparently according to the college is not upto doing a level 3. But they are emailing her wanting her to come in on fridays to do management assignments. Un beknown to me if they are level 2 they should be upto running the farm without me and level 3 is where they take an active part in the managemnet of the farm. She's not quite upto that (maybe i'm being hard) not far off. Now the college have said she needs to do pathway apprenticeship at level 2 again. Basically lost a year and pay increases or even a better job some where else.

Has anyone any advice i can give or help them to get a better further. Because the local college is beef and sheep. I have asked reaseheath if she could do it there and put her on a train one day a week to do a dairy apprenticeship there. Is it better i encourage her to go on another farm as an asistant herdsperson to learn new skills and gain experience that way. Yes i know theres a shortage of people wanting to work with cows. But i feel it's more important for them to get on than keeping them at mine place doing menial tasks.

I've already had the pathways guy try and poach her for another farm and they've already got 2 trainees on that farm already.

 

[Beef farmer]

Il give her a year if she wants.

 

[Rossymons]

Il give her a year if she wants.

If she hurries down I'll get her clued up on heat detection and what we do.

 

[ImLost]

I'll keep it short. Had a trainee for 2 years and apparently she's upto level 2 in agriculture. But apparently according to the college is not upto doing a level 3. But they are emailing her wanting her to come in on fridays to do management assignments. Un beknown to me if they are level 2 they should be upto running the farm without me and level 3 is where they take an active part in the managemnet of the farm. She's not quite upto that (maybe i'm being hard) not far off. Now the college have said she needs to do pathway apprenticeship at level 2 again. Basically lost a year and pay increases or even a better job some where else.

Has anyone any advice i can give or help them to get a better further. Because the local college is beef and sheep. I have asked reaseheath if she could do it there and put her on a train one day a week to do a dairy apprenticeship there. Is it better i encourage her to go on another farm as an asistant herdsperson to learn new skills and gain experience that way. Yes i know theres a shortage of people wanting to work with cows. But i feel it's more important for them to get on than keeping them at mine place doing menial tasks.

I've already had the pathways guy try and poach her for another farm and they've already got 2 trainees on that farm already.

Purely out of interest, why is that you are keeping her on menial tasks?

 

[Jdunn55]

I'll keep it short. Had a trainee for 2 years and apparently she's upto level 2 in agriculture. But apparently according to the college is not upto doing a level 3. But they are emailing her wanting her to come in on fridays to do management assignments. Un beknown to me if they are level 2 they should be upto running the farm without me and level 3 is where they take an active part in the managemnet of the farm. She's not quite upto that (maybe i'm being hard) not far off. Now the college have said she needs to do pathway apprenticeship at level 2 again. Basically lost a year and pay increases or even a better job some where else.

Has anyone any advice i can give or help them to get a better further. Because the local college is beef and sheep. I have asked reaseheath if she could do it there and put her on a train one day a week to do a dairy apprenticeship there. Is it better i encourage her to go on another farm as an asistant herdsperson to learn new skills and gain experience that way. Yes i know theres a shortage of people wanting to work with cows. But i feel it's more important for them to get on than keeping them at mine place doing menial tasks.

I've already had the pathways guy try and poach her for another farm and they've already got 2 trainees on that farm already.

Didn't realise that level 3 meant you should be able to take an active part in management. I did level 3 agriculture (only one year as I got thoroughly p*ssed off with the course) and will openly admit that some of the people I was on the course with I wouldn't trust to know one end of the hand scraper from the other!

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Didn't realise that level 3 meant you should be able to take an active part in management. I did level 3 agriculture (only one year as I got thoroughly p*ssed off with the course) and will openly admit that some of the people I was on the course with I wouldn't trust to know one end of the hand scraper from the other!

I thought level 4 was management. I could be wrong though. I did level 3 highly recommended the meals at shire or tyacks were very good.

 

[Jdunn55]

I thought level 4 was management. I could be wrong though. I did level 3 highly recommended the meals at shire or tyacks were very good.

Mine was up at stoke climsland as they stopped the level 3 at rosewarne, part of the reason I left was the journey there and back meant I was away from the farm for too long! The only part I really enjoyed was the milking, ended up doing extra days fairly often! Think I did most of there ploughing as well...

 

[dairyrow]

Purely out of interest, why is that you are keeping her on menial tasks?

No not really. I've always offered other bits as a start so she gradually gets used to stuff. Always asked what they did in college dehorn calves, tailed or drenched sheep and paper work. Did put her on the AI course but i don't think the bloke should of passed them. They got 1 out of 3 animals and picked them. Have got her doing it at home out +20 animals shes hit one. Have to check everyone because we block calve. Can't afford ones missed.
What do you guys look for in employees now. Experience on farms, certificates or is the nature of the person in front of you?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I haven't started this yet so can say whether it will work....

..but a friend and I are planning on starting monthly on farm training starting this autumn. We have 5 employees between us who are 22 - 27 and we're both block spring calving. Every month we plan to do one quick session of training of no more than an hour. We will take it in turn and take the others staff and we'll have a vet in at least a couple of times a year.

We might also do some KPI sharing to try to install a bit of competition between the two farms.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

I haven't started this yet so can say whether it will work....

..but a friend and I are planning on starting monthly on farm training starting this autumn. We have 5 employees between us who are 22 - 27 and we're both block spring calving. Every month we plan to do one quick session of training of no more than an hour. We will take it in turn and take the others staff and we'll have a vet in at least a couple of times a year.

We might also do some KPI sharing to try to install a bit of competition between the two farms.

I like that idea. So many will only have dairy experience on The one farm they work on.

Want to do an international version as well.?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I like that idea. So many will only have dairy experience on The one farm they work on.

Want to do an international version as well.?

You might find yourself as the guest speaker if we run short of training ideas (which we definitely will)

 

[Blue.]

Purely out of interest, why is that you are keeping her on menial tasks?

I know a lad who’s just left a 800 cow herd,he’s been there since he left school and told me the other day all he did was scrape up and move cows about,he’s known nothing different and only left due to being bullied by a couple of others,he’s started at another local farm and straight away they had him feeding up,milking and going to the mart,some farms are simply crap at training,don’t get me wrong some staff are only fit to scrape up,but I know potential when I see it.

 

[Jdunn55]

I know a lad who’s just left a 800 cow herd,he’s been there since he left school and told me the other day all he did was scrape up and move cows about,he’s known nothing different and only left due to being bullied by a couple of others,he’s started at another local farm and straight away they had him feeding up,milking and going to the mart,some farms are simply crap at training,don’t get me wrong some staff are only fit to scrape up,but I know potential when I see it.

Half of it is in the person but the other half comes from those doing the training! Who wants to be scraping up and moving cows all day?!? I bet they wouldn't do it themselves! Now they'll be complaining that they cant find anyone to replace him and will finally appreciate him

 

[happycows]

I thought level 4 was management. I could be wrong though. I did level 3 highly recommended the meals at shire or tyacks were very good.

Ah for me twas a pasty and a pint in the Swan at Wadebridge with John Dyer. Happy days.....

 

[Still Farming]

With Covid,rules regs etc whose taking them on anyhow?

 

[Blue.]

Half of it is in the person but the other half comes from those doing the training! Who wants to be scraping up and moving cows all day?!? I bet they wouldn't do it themselves! Now they'll be complaining that they cant find anyone to replace him and will finally appreciate him

I do the majority of the scraping up and droving here,as I’m doing it I’m watching cows a bulling etc,only twice a day and not a long time though,I’ve been scraping out for 35 years and you sort of do it on auto pilot,I told the lad I never expect anyone to do something I wouldn’t do myself.

 

[Jdunn55]

I do the majority of the scraping up and droving here,as I’m doing it I’m watching cows a bulling etc,only twice a day and not a long time though,I’ve been scraping out for 35 years and you sort of do it on auto pilot,I told the lad I never expect anyone to do something I wouldn’t do myself.

Exactly, an hour or two at each end of the day is different, all day and I would be wanting to sell the cows (which is something I never thought I'd say!). If they had to do it on a permanent basis I would put money on robotic scrapers or auto scrapers being put in within a year of them doing it.

The bullying side of things I've witnessed before and it makes for an ugly work environment that long term is not good for anyone.

 

[Muddyroads]

I haven't started this yet so can say whether it will work....

..but a friend and I are planning on starting monthly on farm training starting this autumn. We have 5 employees between us who are 22 - 27 and we're both block spring calving. Every month we plan to do one quick session of training of no more than an hour. We will take it in turn and take the others staff and we'll have a vet in at least a couple of times a year.

We might also do some KPI sharing to try to install a bit of competition between the two farms.

A great initiative on your part, but a pity the local college can’t deliver what you want. Bring back the ATB!

 

[cattow]

@dairyrow I have 2 level two’s just started level 3 how many days a week is she at college to make level 2 last 2 years ?
It’s a one year course 3days a week is full time

 

[cattow]

You can now leave school at 14 and start agriculture with maths and English is she young ?