Assistant Farm Manager Apprenticeship
Professionally operate and support the management of an agricultural or horticultural business such as a farm.
This occupation is found in the agriculture and horticulture sectors, specifically the area of agriculture that includes sheep, dairy, cattle, beef cattle, pigs, goats, poultry, arable field based vegetables or energy crops. In horticulture it is recommended for those working in extensive horticultural field crops. Assistant farm managers tend to work in sectors such as dairy, beef and sheep, arable, pigs and poultry or can work at a business which may cut across multiple sectors. An assistant farm manager may work in any size farm business as employed labour whose intention will be to progress (through succession planning) to farm management either employed or running their own business, in the future. Titles in this job sector vary and it would be appropriate to a range of farm or horticultural site management positions
Auction Mart
Study Location
2 Years
depending on Level
Level 4
Qualification Level
Some College attendance required
College Attendance
What you will study
- Physiological principles underpinning a production system and the impacts of husbandry or agronomy activities and inputs.
- Importance of soil, types of soil and their impact on crop and husbandry decisions. Characteristics of poor and good soil structure, the impact of operations on soil and actions to improve structure. Soil fertility analysis data, and how to obtain and interpret it.
- Components of soil management plans and their purpose for managing soil health, nutrients, yields, runoff, erosion, flooding, soil carbon, external additives. Importance and principles of nutrient management guidance.
- Principles of managing plant or animal health, the importance and principles of biosecurity and how to comply with plant or animal health legislation.
- Main habitats found on production sites, how to obtain and interpret information on site biodiversity.
- Implications of environmental legislation and industry guidance for site management.
- Threats to production from climate change, the principles of sustainability and net zero targets.
- Techniques for optimising value of resources and by-products. Principles of the waste hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle).
- Legislative and environmental regulation for management of by-products, inorganic waste, hazardous waste, Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, water and air and implications of non-compliance.
- Components of a farm or enterprise supply chain, how they interact and the interdependence of the supply chain to ensure quality and quantity.
- Technical content quality measures or specification requirements for farm products, why this important to meet customer needs and or commercial contracts.
- Regulation, production standards and codes of practice for their area of work and the importance of compliance.
- Types of financial capital investment, sources of information and their suitability and risk.
- Types of production, financial and business data, uses and analysis.
- Factors impacting on the performance of farm or horticultural enterprises and techniques to set financial and production Key Performance Indicators, monitor and evaluate them.
- Components of strategic plans, business plans, operational plans and business cases. Their relationships and importance for improving enterprise performance and response to external factors for example environmental, political, social or financial
- Know where to find reliable sources of information on production practices and new technologies.
- Principles of online safety, confidentiality and protection of data.
- Health, safety and wellbeing legislation, codes of practice and their implications for site management. The main hazards, risks to health, welfare and wellbeing found on farms or horticultural sites and mitigation methods. The risk from zoonoses. Factors when dealing with public, visitors or children on site.
- Legislative requirements and codes of practice for use of chemicals, for example medicines or pesticides. Techniques for spraying chemicals or organic substances.
- Factors when planning the safe and efficient use of machinery, equipment and facilities including legislation, operator competence, new technologies, maintenance requirements, suitability for task and business policy.
- Methods and techniques for communicating with professional and non-professional audiences including use of digital methods.
- Principles of managing people including compliance with regulation, recruitment, performance management, informal training and appraisals.
- Purpose and types of farm or enterprise records including compliance, legal, health and safety, human resources, production, environmental, finance and industry audit requirements.
- Factors that influence decisions about machinery and infrastructure including return on investment.
- Apply physiological principles to identify interventions to enhance productivity and maintain unit health.
- Develop, implement and monitor a soil, manure or nutrient management plan to improve soil structure and fertility and monitor progress.
- Implement and review plans to manage the health of the production system in line with legislation and company policy.
- Implement practices that comply with environmental protection legislation and industry guidance, including pollution avoidance and control, wildlife and countryside protection and protection of biodiversity.
- Improve environmental practices on site including protecting and enhancing biodiversity.
- Develop and implement plan(s) to optimise value of by-products and dispose of non reusable (single use) wastes.
- Implement plans to produce products or services to customer specification, quality standards and production standards.
- Collect and evaluate critical information using digital tools including production unit performance, identify opportunities for improvement and propose changes to technical production strategy and operational adjustments.
- Analyse basic farm and or enterprise data (including financial and production) and research farm practices. Use this to benchmark against other farms and support recommendations for future actions.
- Develop and evaluate production unit plans to meet business requirements.
- Manage, review and monitor health, safety, welfare and wellbeing on production unit. Carry out risk management including assessment of risk and mitigation. Communicate health and safety information to staff or stakeholders.
- Manage own health and safety and promotes best practice to others when undertaking activity.
- Make recommendations on machinery and infrastructure for a farm or horticultural business activity including condition, replacements and return on investment.
- Use, maintain and oversee machinery and infrastructure in line with legislation, manufacturers guidance and business policy.
- Communicates in a professional manner with staff and stakeholders, adapting approach to audience including technical audiences and use of technical industry terminology.
- Build relationships with stakeholders including negotiation.
- Supervise staff or contractors during the main stages of the production cycle.
- Keep business records including using digital tools.
- Oversees and uses agrochemicals or organic equivalents including using spraying equipment.
- Challenge approaches to current working practices in a constructive manner, identifying potential for improvement and development.
- Champions health and safety across the team and embeds it in activities.
- Acts in a way that builds and maintains positive relationships with colleagues, customers and suppliers.
- Acts in a professional and ethical manner
- Committed to Continuous Professional Development
- Emergency First Aid at Work – 3 days
- Safe Use of Pesticides / Principles of safe handling and application of pesticides
- Safe Application of Pesticide Using Hand Held Equipment / The Safe Application of Pesticides Using Pedestrian Hand Held Equipment
What's Next?
Careers
- Agriculture enterprise manager
- Assistant enterprise manager
- Assistant estate/s manager
- Assistant farm manager
- Assistant production manager
- Production manager
- Trainee farm manager
To apply for an Apprenticeship, please complete the online application form and our Apprenticeship Team will contact you to arrange an interview.
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