Former textiles worker aims to give more young a leg up into farming
A first generation hay farmer has teamed up with Yorkshire and Humber Institute of Technology (IoT) to offer more career pathways for young people to enter the farming sector.
Ian Burrows, of Selby-based Newhay Feeds, said the collaboration also represented a way to give back to the industry, while bringing fresh thinking into his business at a time of change.
Describing his route into the sector as unconventional, Mr Burrows spent 15 years working in the textile industry in Dewsbury before navigating agricultural college without the benefit of a family farming background.
He said he understood how much of a difference “the right opportunity and a little support can make”. He added: “When I got to agricultural college, I realised I was two or three steps behind and needed a helping hand. Getting those opportunities is difficult. I was given a chance, and so giving some chances back to young people is something I’m very passionate about – which is where the initial interest in the IoT came from.
“The skillset needed in agriculture are evolving quickly as technology continues to advance. That’s bringing a new generation of diverse talent into the industry – people who have grown up with this technology and think differently. In a challenging commercial environment, those fresh perspectives and outside viewpoints are incredibly valuable.”
His agricultural manufacturing business has partnered with the IoT to tackle the growing skills gap, as official figures released in May confirm almost one million young people are currently not in employment, education or training.
Alongside record levels of unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds, those behind the collaboration have highlighted how agriculture is an industry undergoing rapid transformation, with employment opportunities for those with the right skills.
Driven by automation, digital tools and new manufacturing techniques, the sector is actively seeking young people who can adapt and grow alongside the technology.
In the scheme, which aims to equip young people with skills needed for modern agriculture roles, the IoT works with colleges, universities and local employers to deliver high-quality technical education for those seeking alternatives to the traditional university route.
For Newhay Feeds, a 400-acre specialist producer of premium Timothy Hay supplying major pet food manufacturers and retailers across the UK, Europe, Australia and South Africa, the partnership has brought students into the farming business. A group of final year degree students from Askham Bryan College recently visited to learn about agricultural diversification and commercial growth to support their dissertations. With disciplines spanning crop science, mechanical engineering, food technology and retail packaging, Newhay Feeds was found to offer a rich learning environment for students across multiple specialisms.
Hannah Wilson, of the IoT, said: “By opening their doors to students and sharing real commercial experience, employers like Newhay help ensure that young people across Yorkshire and Humber have a genuine route into careers in modern agriculture – an industry that is changing faster than many people realise.”