GSC Grays Farm Business Department Graduate Recruitment

FARM BU S I NE S S DE PA RT M EN T G R A D UAT E T R A I N IN G P RO G R A M M E

DR AW I NG ON O U R I N - H O U S E EXPERT I S E AND W ID E R I N D U S T R Y CO N TAC T S , G S C GRAY S’ FARM B U S I N E S S D E PA RT MENT GRA DUATES CA N E X P E CT A T H OROUG H PROG RAM M E O F T R A I N I N G D ELI VERED I N A VARI E TY OF WAY S .

The process is designed to provide graduates with a base knowledge of core areas of work undertaken by the department and the main enterprise types that the department advise on. Following this, graduates will be encouraged to specialise in a certain area for example agronomy or dairy as agreed with their line manager.

ENROLMENT Graduate intake will generally occur between

exposure to a full ‘farming year’ for many

July-September

enterprises.

whereby

their

of base training will begin.

program

This will last

approximately 15 months to give candidates

This timeframe is flexible

depending on existing experience of graduates and rate of progression.

STRUCTURED TRAINING Graduate’s day to day training will be

Graduates will also attend all relevant

delivered in an ‘on the job’ manner by their

department

department colleagues in the same office.

training may also be delivered.

Structured

training

sessions

will

be

provided by senior staff members within the

meetings

where

further This will

include seasonal training for example, BPS and Countryside Stewardship.

department/wider business or by outside

Graduates

organisations, where appropriate.

These

training in their given office however, some

training sessions will include the following

travelling to other offices/locations will be

areas:

required.

•

Bookkeeping systems

To benefit fully from the expertise within

•

Whole Farm Budgeting and Monitoring

•

Contract

Farming/Share

Farming/

Grazing Licences

will

primarily

receive

their

the department secondments to other offices may be available.

We expect graduates to adopt a proactive approach to their training programme and

•

Business Reviews

not be afraid to challenge the content of

•

Accounts Analysis/Benchmarking

the programme in a constructive manner.

•

Machinery Requirements

•

Environmental Management

•

Agronomy/Arable enterprises/Nutrient

As such, we encourage graduates along

Management •

Beef & Sheep

•

Dairy

•

Pigs & Poultry

GSC GRAYS

with junior members of the department to organise discussion sessions whereby ideas can be discussed freely.

PET FA R M P ROJECT

Graduates will be expected to keep a record of all training received whether internal

Over the course of the training programme graduates will adopt a ‘pet’ farm business as

or external that can be referred to during appraisals.

agreed with their line manager which they will use to apply their learnt knowledge to. Assistance with this will be offered by colleagues within the department. At the end of the training programme graduates will present the business and their work relating to it to the wider department.

Documents will include but not be limited to:

OUTCOMES The overriding outcome of the training programme is to provide graduates with a base knowledge of the core areas of work undertaken by the department and the main enterprise types that the department advise on.

•

Business review

•

Accounts analysis and benchmarking

with their line manager targets of any

•

Normalised whole farm budget

further training how these may be achieved.

During appraisals graduates will also discuss

Current department staff hold a number of •

Whole

farm

implications

budget of

a

including new

CFA

additional qualifications including but not limited to:

opportunity •

•

•

BASIS

implications of a new CSS/ELM

•

FACTS

application

•

CEnv

Commentary on the above

•

ROSA

Whole

farm

budget

including

•

Nutrient management plan

•

CMIAgrM

•

Appraisal of machinery

•

PMIAgrM

•

Submitted BPS application (appropriate

•

CAAV

year)

The agricultural industry is changing and it is anticipated that such change will

MONITORING/OUTCOMES

bring about opportunities for new areas of expertise to be developed and with it new

Staff appraisals are undertaken in January and July in which progression through the training programme will be discussed.

qualifications to be achieved. Graduates are encouraged to research such opportunities that might interest them and benefit the department and wider company.

FARM BUSINESS GRADUATE RECRUITMENT

“HELPING YO U G A I N T H E N EC ES S ARY T R A I N I N G A N D E X P E R I E N C E ”.

FA RM B US I N E SS DEPA RT ME N T M A N AG E ME NT S T RU C T U R E SHAREHOLDER Board Member

COMPANY DIRECTOR

RURAL DIRECTOR

SENIOR FARM CONSULTANT

FARM CONSULTANT

GRADUATE FARM CONSULTANT

TRAINEE FARM CONSULTANT

GSC GRAYS

Departmental Board Member

RURAL ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

WE RECRUIT THE BEST JAMIE CHARLTON

which, prior to starting at GSC Grays, I hadn’t considered completing.

GRADUATE FARM BUSINESS CONSULTANT

Through the GSC Grays graduate program, I have been provided with a range of practical and desk-based development opportunities.

Initially, I gained practical experience through shadowing other department members on farm visits assisting with crop walking, soil analysis, stewardship scheme development and general on-farm consultations.

For desk-based training, GSC Grays have provided various group training sessions for junior team members such as ‘accounts analysis training’ and Basic Payment Scheme/Countryside Stewardship Scheme applications. In addition, there has been opportunities to attend a range of seminars and online training events to further develop my understanding of developments in areas such as the Agricultural Transition Period.

The graduate program has also provided me with the opportunity to undertake and successfully obtain my FACTS qualification

The qualification will enable me to develop nutrient management plans for clients, which will be an essential aspect of the Sustainable Farming Incentive in the near future.

HANNAH PROCTOR GRADUATE FARM BUSINESS CONSULTANT

Despite starting my career with GSC Grays working from home amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, I was provided with the opportunity to gain experience through desk-based work. I was provided with training sessions on financial monitoring and took part in departmental training sessions with regards to Basic Payment Scheme/ Countryside Stewardship applications and accounts analysis training. There has been a variety of webinars, seminars, and other online training available through both internal and external sources.

I spent time shadowing other members of the Farm Business Department, which included practical experience such as crop walking, tissue/soil sampling and farm visits with clients.

I have become a member of the Institute of Agricultural Management (IAgrM), which has provided opportunities to access training surrounding key topics within the industry and I am also in the process of completing an application to become a member of The Register of Sheep Advisers (RoSA).

FA R M B U S I N E S S G R A D UAT E R E C R U I T M E N T

KEY CONTACTS

ROBERT SULLIVAN

MBPR PMIAGRM

SAM DALE

MBPR

DIRECTOR

SENIOR FARM BUSINESS CONSULTANT

0191 303 9541 rjs@gscgrays.co.uk

07973 866477 sjd@gscgrays.co.uk

G G SS C CG GR RA AY Y SS .. C CO O .. U UK K