Agricultural contractor jobs

If you have an interest in farming and you think you would appreciate a hands-on, manual employment in which you spend the most of your time working outdoors, then a job as an agricultural contractor could be something you would be interested in. If you want to be considered for this position, you need to have knowledge of agriculture as well as strong practical agricultural abilities, and you also need to be able to operate farm equipment.

The job in question

The majority of your time spent working in this agricultural field would be spent operating on a self-employed basis and delivering services to farmers. The following is an example of the kinds of tasks that could be expected of you:

Spraying of crops

Trimming of hedges

Utilization of fertilizer in agriculture

The preparation of seeds

Harvesting of the crops

Maintenance of drainage systems, dirt shifting, and fencing

Handling livestock

Silage/hay/haylage cutting and baling

Shearing the sheep

Ploughing

In order to be considered for this position, you will need to possess a valid driver's license and previous experience operating various kinds of agricultural equipment, such as tractors, forklift trucks, and baling machines, among other examples. The vast majority of self-employed contractors have areas of expertise and provide their own tools and equipment.

Possibilities of obtaining work

The employment outlook for agricultural contractors is favorable; clearly, this is the case more so in more rural locations, but the job might be seasonal depending on your specialization, such as turkey plucking, sheep shearing, or lambing, for example. The following are examples of roles in this industry:

Farm worker/manager

Driver of a tractor

Agronomist

General operative

Combine driver

Manager or supervisor of a packaging plant or a packer

The Secretary of the Farm

Livestock handler

Your employment will most likely be determined on a job-by-job basis, and it may need you to travel across the nation in order to complete assignments. This will rely on the kind of work that you do and the locations in which such work is accessible.

Abilities, passions, and characteristics

In order to be successful as an agricultural contractor, you will need to have:

Knowledge and abilities applicable to the sector that are of a good standard.

A background in the operation of a variety of agricultural plants and machines, as well as their maintenance

A comprehension of the fundamentals of health and safety

Problem solving talents and adaptability

Time management abilities

The capacity to operate either alone or in conjunction with others

Abilities in communication that are effective

If you are self-employed, you need abilities in administration.

Hours

The number of hours that agricultural contractors put in each week is very variable and is mostly determined by the kind of services they provide as well as the time of year in which they are employed. You will be expected to work long hours and unpredictable schedules, including nights and weekends, when the business is very active. In addition to that, you can be expected to complete midnight shifts on a rotating basis. The majority of your labor would be done outside in all kinds of weather, and the atmosphere in which you would be doing it may be loud, nasty, or even deadly. You may be forced to carry, lift, and move large goods, such as bags of animal feed and fruit, as well as tools, throughout the course of some of the job that you do. This might be highly taxing on your body.

Income

The majority of agricultural contractors are self-employed, and the rates they charge are determined by the specific tasks they are hired to do. You would need to do market research in order to be competitive since rates vary considerably depending on the location, the season, and other factors. When doing your study, be sure to remember to account in things like using your own equipment and traveling to and from work. A good illustration of this would be if you were hired to trim hedges using your own tractor and charged around thirty pounds an hour for your services.

Entry requirements

Although agricultural contractors are not obliged to have formal credentials, there is always competition for business. Therefore, it would be beneficial to take classes in order to strengthen your abilities and make your bids more competitive when competing for contracts. The following is a selection of relevant credentials that you may pursue, however this is not a complete list and your local agricultural college will be able to provide you information on whatever courses they run that would be of interest to you:

Enhanced Training as an Apprentice in Agriculture

Diploma in Agriculture from City & Guilds at Level 3 or an Extended Diploma in Agriculture (QCF)

Certificate in Work-based Agriculture from the City & Guilds Level 3 Program (QCF)

You may be required to operate chainsaws or make use of pesticides in the course of certain duties; in order to fulfill the mandates of the applicable laws, you will need to acquire the appropriate certifications of competence. These kinds of credentials may be obtained via the Lantra Awards and the City & Guilds Land Based Services.

Training and professional advancement

If you make the decision to specialize in a certain field, you may want to consider enrolling in a relevant short course that is offered by City & Guilds Land Based Services or Lantra Awards. You could want to join a professional group like the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC), for instance, so that you can add more relevant experience to your resume. This will keep you up to speed with the latest innovations and news in the field, and it may also help you increase your customer base by assisting you with networking. Additionally, it would be beneficial to subscribe to one or more of the weekly farming newspapers because these publications provide information on job openings, industry news, and other references that are helpful. Some examples of such publications include Farmers Weekly Magazine and Farmers' Guardian Weekly newspaper.