A farming industry project that has successfully helped hundreds of young people into apprenticeship placements is launching a new national careers service this summer.
After two successful years of piloting in the East of England, the EDGE project is entering its next phase, working with training providers across the UK to support young people to gain their first job in the food and farming industry.
The project will continue to match employers with young people who are taking their first steps from education into employment.
Having been known as “EDGE Apprenticeships” since its launch in March 2013, the programme is now “EDGE Careers”, widening its remit to signpost young people into all aspects of work, study and training alongside apprenticeships, which will continue to be the mainstay of the service.
EDGE project manager Richard Self said: “We’re delighted to be entering the next phase of the EDGE project. Over the past two years, we have helped match more than 500 young people with employers across the east of England. We know there is a huge demand for this to become a nationwide offering and we’re looking forward to launching our national service at the Suffolk Show.”
EDGE will be on stand 301, offering information for young people and potential employers. The team will be talking to young people about the wide variety of careers in food and farming, and offering them the opportunity to see the technical machinery used in agriculture, by getting inside a Sands sprayer cab.
Nicola Currie, employer liaison officer for EDGE in Suffolk, will be present on the FramFarmers stand, stand 158, speaking to prospective employers about the benefit of taking on young people.
Nicola said: “Any farmer expecting a key member of staff to retire in the next five years or so should be thinking about taking on apprentice now as a way of training up new talent. Farming has one of the oldest labour forces in the country so we need to act now to create a pool of capable young people ready to make the most all the exciting opportunities modern technology is creating in our sector.”
You can also find out about EDGE on the Anglia Farmers stand – stand 247.
For more information, including details of potential employers, employees and apprentices, visit www.edge.careers or call the EDGE team on 01603 881979.
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