South West Peak

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Are you interested in a position as a Farm Worker Apprentice?

Frequently Asked Questions for Farm Worker Apprentices

Can I work on my parent’s farm?

• Yes, you can work on any relatives or friends farms.
• The farm will need to provide a safe place for you to work and will need to meet HASPS requirements.
• The farm will need to provide sufficient training and learning opportunities. You may work on more than one farm to achieve the training requirements.

Can I become an apprentice on the farm where I work now?

• Yes, provided you will learn significantly new skills by doing the apprenticeship.

Can I work part time?

• We expect your apprenticeship to be full-time.
• If there is insufficient work on a single farm, then apprentices can work on two or three farms.
• One farm will need to be the lead farmer (employer) and others will need to pay the lead farmer for the time the apprentice works for them. It would help if the farms were different types so the farms have differing busy periods when help is needed.

How much will I get paid?

• From April 2019 the minimum payment will be £3.90 per hour for 16 to 18 year olds and anyone in the 1^st year of their apprenticeship.
• After the first year of employment apprentices age 19 or over are entitled to receive the national minimum wage.
• The current national minimum wages are below.

Why are the wages low?

• An apprenticeship is a job with training.
• There is 20% off the job training.
• Colleges no longer give Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and if you are eligible for a bursary this would only be approximately £25 per week.
• An apprentice will earn from £144 per week.
• You will earn a lot more on an apprenticeship than at college.
• The wage is initially lower than minimum wage because of the amount of money spent on your training and the amount of supervision required for apprentices.

What are the benefits of doing an apprenticeship?

• An apprenticeship gives you work experience as well as knowledge. Many employers regard work experience as more important than qualifications
• You will gain a qualification in a specific work related subject.
• You can practice what you learn and gain confidence and competence at work.
• Unlike a college you will get a wage and work related certificates.

What holidays will I get?

• You are entitled to 20 days a year plus bank holidays. Holidays will need to be discussed and booked with your employer.

How long will it take?

• The apprenticeship will last for 18 months, we expect you to commit to the full period.

What hours should apprentices work?

• A full time apprentice needs to work for a minimum of 30 hours a week. An apprentice under the age of 19 must not work more than 8 hours a day or more than 40 hours a week. We understand that farming involves variable working hours throughout the year. How to balance the work between busy and quiet times will need to be discussed between the farmer, training organisation and apprentice.

What qualifications do I need to start?

• No formal qualifications are necessary but,
• you will need to be willing to learn in both classroom and outdoor sites,
• have an interest in working in a farming environment,
• be willing to work outdoors in all weathers
• be reasonably fit to be able to use tools and get to work sites.
• be capable of achieving at least level 1 functional skills English and Maths.
• have the motivation to complete all aspects of the apprenticeship.

Where will the training taking place?

• Much of the training will take place locally in your place of work
• For specific courses such as NPTC training you may need to travel to other locations.
• An office space will be available within the South West Peak. This will have computer facilities and be used for group sessions or to complete college work.
• Occasionally training for short NPTC courses may take place away from the South West Peak. If this is too far to travel each day the South West Peak Partnership will pay for basic accommodation.

When will I go for training?

• You will need to spend an average of 1 day a week training. This can be training that is done by the farmer, the training provider or attending training for an NPTC certificate. Training can be arranged to fit in with the farm work and will avoid busy periods on your farm.

What modules will I study?

• For each apprenticeship there are mandatory units and optional units
• For Level 2 Stocksperson Standard the mandatory units are:

• Monitoring and maintaining health and safety
• Maintain and develop personal performance
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others
• Establish and maintain conditions appropriate to the welfare of animals
• Prepare feed and water supplies for livestock
• Monitor and maintain the supply of feed and water to livestock
• Load and unload physical resources within the work area
• Maintain site bio-security and personal hygiene

• There are about 55 optional units. The farmer, the apprentice, the South West Peak team and the Training Organisation will discuss these and decide the most suitable units.
• The farmer may wish to choose units suitable for their own farm such as units specific to dairy, beef or sheep farming or the transport of animals.
• The South West Peak Landscape Partnership may choose units such as construct and maintain boundaries, construct and maintain paths or manage habitats.

What qualifications will I achieve?

• You will work towards
• A Level 2 Stocksperson Standard.
• NPTC awards for example tractor driving, all-terrain vehicle, spraying, brushcutter or chainsaw maintenance and felling.
• If you do not already have a level 2 maths and English qualification you will also need to work towards these qualifications and pass at least Level 1 English and Maths.

Can I get help with transport?

• Transport issues will be considered on an individual basis.
• The apprentice will be expected to pay for transport to work and college but help may be provided in some circumstances.
• There will also be opportunity for group travel to training venues.

What career options will I have when I finish?

• On successful completion you may choose to:
• Assist in running family farm
• Herdsperson or stock person
• Tractor driver
• Work for or become a contractor
• Level 3 Agricultural apprenticeship

Any other Questions please contact:

Helen Betts

Email: helen.betts@peakdistrict..gov.uk

Tel: 07970237094