Approx. duration: 24 months
Start Date: Anytime
Attendance: All assessment and training is undertaken in the workplace with occasional visits to college
Entry requirements:
- Individual employers will set their selection criteria for applicants
- Apprentices need to be employed for a minimum of 30 hours a week and have a contract of employment
- Entry onto the Apprenticeship is subject to a thorough skills scan assessment to clarify course suitability
- Entry onto the Apprenticeship is subject to 4 GCSEs including Maths and English 9-3/A-E or Functional Skills Level 1. Apprentices must achieve Functional Skills Level 2 in English and/or Maths if they have a GCSE grade below a Grade 4 or C
On-programme learning:
- Crop Technician Standard
- English and Maths (if required) Level 2
- Level 2 Award in Safe Use of Pesticides
- Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work
Progression:
On completion of this Apprenticeship, Crop technicians will have the opportunity to progress within the industry into roles such as unit/arable manager, production manager and farm manager.
Course Summary:
Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes designed around the need of both the Apprentice and their employer.
As a Crop Technician you will be responsible for optimising crop/plant yields through establishment, management, harvest and post-harvest operations, while maintaining and improving the surrounding environment. You will also need to keep up to date with technological advances and new innovations.
Being a Crop Technician requires self-motivation and the ability to work both independently and as a team player to complete tasks safely and efficiently Many companies now use automation for a number of routine tasks, which will require technical skills to operate. This standard provides the opportunity for individuals to acquire the ‘knowledge’, ‘skills’ and ‘behaviours’ required and follows a ‘core and options’ approach. This allows the flexibility to learn core subjects and then specialise in either ‘soil based system’ or ‘containerised systems’.
Soil-based systems are used for cultivating a diverse range of crops in agricultural fields, encompassing cereals, oilseeds, various vegetables, and fruit-bearing trees. The yield is contingent upon natural resources and inputs like plant nutrients, while also heavily influenced by weather conditions, which profoundly affect crop growth and management. Consequently, proficiency in rapid adaptation is imperative to guarantee the production of superior quality harvests.
Container-based systems are commonly used in horticulture for cultivating plants and trees, and can also serve fruit production purposes. Within such systems, the environment is carefully managed, often resulting in significant time indoors. Managing container production entails meticulous monitoring and care for numerous plants individually, demanding keen observational abilities and attention to detail.