How to become a farm worker
You can get into this career through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
You could take a course at an agricultural college, such as:
- Level 1 Certificate in Practical Farm Animal Care Skills
- Level 2 Extended Certificate in Agriculture
- Level 3 Diploma in Agriculture
- T Level in Agriculture, Land Management and Production
Courses combine theory and practical skills and include units on:
- crop production
- animal husbandry
- operating farm machinery
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T level
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Apprenticeship
The following apprenticeships may be relevant depending on the type of farming you're interested in:
- general farm worker intermediate apprenticeship
- poultry worker intermediate apprenticeship
- poultry technician advanced apprenticeship
- livestock unit technician advanced apprenticeship
- packhouse line leader advanced apprenticeship
These apprenticeships usually take 12-18 months complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
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Direct Application
You do not need any particular qualifications to apply to become a farm worker but it may help if you:
- have an interest in farming
- enjoy working outdoors
- have experience of working on a farm from a weekend or holiday job, such as dairy work or picking crop
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Career tips
It may help to have some basic skills in mechanics.
Further information
You can find out more about careers in farming and agriculture from Tasty Careers.