Exciting news! Our new 6-week voluntary work experience programme has got the go-ahead! 

Tarff is delighted to announce it has received funding support from South of Scotland Enterprise to get its newly developed work experience programme, Let’s Get Employed in Agriculture (LGEIA), up and running! As this is a pilot project, only 15 spaces are available.

Tarff has introduced several educational pathways to encourage young people into the Land-Based sector.  Tracey McEwan, Tarff Services Coordinator, in partnership with Developing Young Workforce Dumfries and Galloway and Let’s Get Sporty, has developed a new 6-week programme designed for 16 – 24 year olds who are interested in becoming involved in agriculture. The idea behind the programme is to introduce youngsters to a real-life work experience on a local farm and provide them with support and training opportunities.

Tarff currently runs the Pre-Apprenticeship Programme and Modern Apprenticeships (MA) in Agriculture and it is hoped this new 6-week voluntary programme will help encourage young people into the Land-Based sector. It is an ideal opportunity for those who are from a non-farming background to establish whether a career in agriculture is for them, rather than applying for the Pre-Apprenticeship/MA and find it’s not their chosen career path and proceed to leave the learning programmes.

Let’s Get Employed in Agriculture has a formal application process where applicants are required to send in an application form and then an interview will be held. Successful applicants will be placed on a farm for 6 weeks on a voluntary basis and receive mentorship by their placement provider and support from Tracey.

During the placement, students will have opportunities to undertake training to help enhance their skills and knowledge i.e ATV/Telehandler. The LGEIA programme is the first step in the educational pathway which Tarff offers. Following on from this is the Pre-Apprenticeship Programme, a 6-month paid work experience and then a SCQF 5 & 6 Modern Apprenticeship in Agriculture.

If you are a young person looking to kickstart your career in the Land-Based sector, please get in touch! Call Tracey McEwan on 07785 657861. Alternatively, you can register your interest for Let’s Get Employed in Agriculture through this link >> https://www.tarffvalley.co.uk/lets-get-employed-in-agriculture/