Bishop Burton College, Beverley: Meet the new principal who wants to inspire the next generation of farmers

It was with a view to one day returning to Bishop Burton but with the retirement of Bill Meredith after six years at the helm, announced in February, that time has come around already.

Last week was the first week in the new role as Principal and Chief Executive of Bishop Burton College and Mr Metters spoke to Country Post about his hopes for the future of land-based education in Yorkshire – and a little about how he unwinds away from the college.

On his first week he said: “It is brilliant to be back on a land-based site, even though there aren’t many staff, there are plenty of animals and it is like coming home.”

With already knowing college life, it means Mr Metters can look towards his vision of being the place to develop the next generation of farmers and agricultural industry work-force.

"We are going to have a big focus around the pledge for being the provider and employer of choice. From an education perspective, we are creating the next generation of industry. It is not just about a course, it is about careers for these youngsters that are coming through and upskilling the farming work force”, he said.

"From an agricultural point of view that is a local skills priority. In Yorkshire and Humber, and Lincoln, we need to have a big focus for agriculture, agri-tech and food sectors. That is one of the core differences with a land-based and specialist college. It focuses on core skills development, not just academic development."

Farming and rural life is not something that Mr Metters grew up with but has found himself being a “principal by day and a farmer by night”.

He grew up in Featherstone, West Yorkshire where his parents working in mining and factory jobs and he was the first generation of his family to go to university.

There he studied animal science and conservation and travelled to different parts of the world working in animal welfare. When he came back to the UK he got into education and taught in Leeds before moving to Bishop Burton.

However, he does practice what he preaches and while living in Beverley he had a small-holding with horses, alpacas, goats, rescue dogs and cats. Three and a half years ago he and wife Amy found a lifestyle opportunity in a lesser known village called Raw, between Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay.

They brought all the animals with them and have since added to the clan with turkeys, ducks and chickens with a flock of Herdwick sheep due to join them with the task of maintaining the grass on lower land.

He said: “It was an opportunity to build our forever home, even though I don’t work in the animal sector, but education. It is part of that continuation in giving back in animal welfare. None of it is commercial, other than giving the odd box of eggs to the neighbours, it is a small-holding for the lifestyle and purely for joy.

“I am a principal by day and a farmer by night. There is always animal husbandry taking place or a farmer needs some help. We have a dairy farm down the road, it is a really good community with commercial farmers and small-holdings.

"One of the things that I absolutely love is that we are a coastal community that is also in rural countryside.”

Mr Metters has been involved at a local, regional and national level in the future direction of further and higher education strategies impacting on colleges. He has taken on consultancy and voluntary roles alongside his previous and current roles.