Agriculture or Horticulture Professional Adviser

On an agriculture professional adviser apprenticeship course, you will be responsible for helping provide accurate research-informed suggestions to farmers and producers while collaborating with a range of industry professionals such as scientists, independent experts, research organizations, and other advisers.

A significant portion of your day will be spent on grower premises, such as farms, nurseries, estates, and different glasshouses, often outside in all weathers.

You will be required to utilize your initiative, working alone and with high degrees of autonomy, to consult with and give technical assistance to farmers and producers in crop husbandry based on the most current scientific thinking, environmental requirements, and law and policy.

Getting to know farmers and growers, assessing cropping challenges for growers and providing advice, and demonstrating clear communication skills with the ability to convey information objectively are all part of the job.

What you’ll learn

On an agriculture professional adviser apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:

• Provide scientific and evidence-based agronomic, environmental, legislative and crop husbandry advice to farmers, growers, distributors or other relevant stakeholders 
• Maintain and develop relationships with farmers, growers and external bodies.
• Assess grower cropping challenges and provide tailored advice.
• Utilize appropriate Management Information Systems (MIS) to handle, record, manipulate and interrogate data to benefit the farmer or grower and the service provider.
• Deliver effective and high standards of Customer Care (to farmers, growers and colleagues) 

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
• experience in related work

Assessment methods

The programme is assessed in various ways before completing the End Point Assessment, including scenario-based assessment, knowledge exams, phase tests, project work, and a portfolio of evidence with professional discussion.

Restrictions and requirements

You’ll need to:

• have a full driving licence

You’ll need the BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection if you advise on or sell pesticides in the UK. This is a legal requirement.

Apprenticeship standard

More information about the Level 6 Agriculture and Horticulture Professional Advisor standard can be found here.

Apprenticeship end point assessment

For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.