You could do a Level 2 Award in Tractor Driving and Related Occupations.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D) for a level 2 course
Tractor driver
Alternative titles for this job include Agricultural machinery operator, combine harvester driver, crop sprayer
Tractor drivers operate farm machinery used to plough fields, plant seeds, and spray and harvest crops.
Average salary (a year)
£16,000 Starter
to£30,000 Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
60 to 62 seasonal
You could work
evenings / weekends / bank holidays
How to become a Tractor driver
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
Apprenticeship
You can complete an intermediate apprenticeship in agriculture.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, for an intermediate apprenticeship
More information
Direct application
There are no set entry requirements if you want to apply directly but experience in farming or dairying could be useful. A knowledge of basic mechanics might also be helpful.
More information
Registration
you'll need a Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) card to operate some machinery
Further information
You can find out more about farming careers from Bright Crop.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- knowledge of food production methods
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- analytical thinking skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of chemistry including the safe use and disposal of chemicals
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- the ability to work on your own
- physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
- being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
You'll be:
- discussing work schedules with the farm manager
- carrying out equipment and machinery checks
- inputting instructions into the cab’s control panels
- ploughing fields and sowing seeds
- spraying crops with fertilisers and pesticides
- harvesting vegetable, cereal and non-food crops
- using baling machines to bind crops and hay ready for storage
- maintaining hedges and roadside verges with tractor cutting attachments
- carrying out basic maintenance and repairs
Working environment
You could work on a farm.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers, cramped, noisy, physically demanding and dusty.
You may need to wear safety clothing.
Career path and progression
You can take further training to operate a wider range of machinery, which will increase your job prospects.With experience, you could become an agricultural contractor, machinery engineer or farm manager.
Training opportunities
Apprenticeships In England
General Farm Worker Apprenticeship
- Wage : £190.00 - £304.00 Weekly
- Location: Dorchester DT2 9ET
Apprentice Agricutlure Mixed farming
- Wage : £163.80 - £305.37 Weekly
- Location: Diss IP21 4EP
Courses In England
NPTC LEVEL 3 SUBSIDIARY DIPLOMA IN LAND-BASED TECHNOLOGY (QCF)
- Provider: CRAVEN COLLEGE
- Start date: 05 September 2019
- Location: SKIPTON
Diploma Level 1 Agriculture and Countryside
- Provider: Moulton College
- Start date: 09 September 2019
- Location: Northampton