Velcourt trainee farm management

[New Holland TM150]

Has anyone done a Velcourt trainee farm management programme before?

Any good? Do you get the chance to progress?
Is it aimed for young people with a degree?

Or would a general farm worker be successful in applying for without a degree?

I did think about applying before, but have gained new skills since then.

Thanks.

 

[kfpben]

I did it. It's good, you will learn a lot but it is seriously tough, at least on the dairy scheme.

If you do the dairy side they are desperate for anyone with a work ethic and half a brain.

I think the arable side is much more competitive to get on. How much actual management you learn is dependent on your farm. I left after two years as I had lspent 75- 90 hours a week, every week, scraping up with no obvious progression in sight.

Feel free to PM if you want to ask specifics, though I left in 2013 so info won't be bang up to date.

 

[Brisel]

Last time I looked, you were encouraged to do a harvest on one of their farms as a student then apply for the training scheme in the autumn. Of course you should talk to them as soon as you are serious about it. They have a wide variety of roles they recruit for. I would hope that it was more about the person than what piece of paper they hold.

@Ben M

 

[Ben M]

Sorry only just seen this, did you apply? how did you get on?

I joined as an assistant manager (i was 32yrs old and had a wealth of practical experience and run my own 6yr small tenancy) and progressed to farm manager in under 18 months. I did all the trainee management training, it was all 1st class and a very enjoyable learning time for me. Mixing with all the other trainees and assistants. Ive now got my own trainee, he is getting on very well indeed. Really interesting having done it myself and now helping develop someone else through it. Any questions just ask