Farm Apprentice

Wiltshire College & University Centre have a great opportunity for a Farm Apprentice to join our team.

Location: Lackham, Wiltshire
 

Salary:
£14,556 per annum - Your hourly rate of pay will increase within your second year of apprenticeship from the national apprenticeship wage to the national minimum wage for your age group. Please visit the Government website for the current pay rates National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Job Type:
This is a fixed term, two-year level 2 apprenticeship study programme, Full Time (37 hours per week/52 weeks per year) including 1 day per week at college. 

Closing Date: 15th July 2025

Interview Date: 22nd July 2025

About Us:

Wiltshire College & University Centre plays a vital role in Wiltshire’s economy, inspiring people to develop the skills they need to achieve.  Our four main campuses are learning hubs in their communities, and we aspire to be an outstanding, financially robust and commercially agile provider, achieving our clear social mission on behalf of learners and employers across Wiltshire and beyond. 

Our campuses deliver a diversity of facilities from the country estate and farm of our Lackham campus to new hi-tech digital and state of the art facilities at our Trowbridge, Salisbury and Chippenham sites.  We have invested £65 million in our estate over the past 10 years.  Our turnover is £45 million per annum and growing, we employ some 650 staff, and support around 11,500 students.

Farm Apprentice – The Role:

Are you passionate about farming, animals, and cutting-edge technology? Do you want to kick-start your career in agriculture and gain hands-on experience with a high-performance dairy herd, robotic milking systems, and a mix of livestock, arable, and machinery work?

Wiltshire College & University Centre is looking for an enthusiastic Farm Apprentice to join our team and train with experienced professionals in a real working farm environment. This is an incredible opportunity to work alongside skilled staff on a modern, forward-thinking farm that combines tradition with innovation.

Farm Apprentice – Key Responsibilities:

• Assisting in the daily care and development of a high-yielding dairy herd using both robotic and conventional milking systems
• Learning to manage and monitor livestock health, feeding, and welfare
• Gaining exposure to arable operations, machinery handling, and seasonal farm work
• Helping maintain a clean, safe, and efficient working environment
• Taking responsibility for tools, equipment, and basic maintenance
• Attending college one day per week during term time to complete your apprenticeship study.

Farm Apprentice – You:

What you will bring:

• A genuine interest in agriculture and livestock
• Willingness to learn, take on responsibility, and work flexibly (including weekends on rotation)
• Good teamwork and communication skills
• A positive attitude and commitment to health and safety
• Ability to follow instructions and grow into a self-motivated farm professional.

This apprenticeship offers an incredible opportunity to grow your agricultural skills while being part of a supportive and collaborative team. You will attend college one day per week as part of the program. With guidance from team members who have successfully transitioned from apprentices to full-time employees, you will have every opportunity to develop your career.

Apply now and become part of the next generation shaping the future of British farming!

Farm Apprentice – Benefits:

• Competitive salary.
• 30 days' annual leave for Professional Services Staff (plus bank holidays and additional closure days over the Christmas period).
• You will be automatically enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• You will have access to our employee assistance programme (EAP) and enjoy other benefits such as discounts with a wide variety of retailers.
• Free car parking onsite.

Farm Apprentice – Application Process:

Wiltshire College & University Centre follows Safer Recruitment Guidance outlined by the Department for Education in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. This involves conducting enhanced DBS checks, including checks against the children’s barred list, and other employment verifications, including an online presence review for shortlisted candidates.

We embrace diversity, recognising the valuable perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and cultures individuals from different backgrounds bring. Committed to safeguarding, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we pledge to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a job vacancy and assess them based on their abilities.

To submit your application for this exciting Farm Apprentice opportunity, please click ‘Apply’ now.

Applications for this role close on the 15th July 2025.

PLEASE NOTE:

Your Application Form will be shortlisted against how your skills, qualifications and experience match the Essential and Desirable points on the Person Specification for this role, located at the bottom of this page as a downloadable document.

Vacancies may close early if sufficient applications have been received; therefore, we would encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.