Gamekeeping, Auctioneering & Garden Design – Just some of the Options at Countryside Careers event
More than 1,000 students from secondary schools across the region are expected to converge on Harrogate next month (Oct) for a unique event offering them an insight into career opportunities in the countryside.
For the sixth year, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society is running its Countryside Careers Day aimed at pupils from across Yorkshire and Humber region.
Held on Tuesday 9 October 2012 at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate, the day offers students the chance to find out what opportunities are available for careers in the countryside – and what qualifications they will need.
Hazel Baker, Education Adviser with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which organises the annual Great Yorkshire Show and its sister event Countryside Live, said 1,200 secondary school pupils took part in last year’s event – with more expected in 2012.
“The aim of our Countryside Careers Day is to introduce students, many of whom may have grown up in a city, to the wide range of careers that are linked to the countryside, careers that they might not necessarily have thought about,” she said.
Representatives from agricultural colleges across the region, including Askham Bryan, Myerscough College in Lancashire, and Bishop Burton will be giving students, aged 11 to 18, an insight into the courses on offer.
And a wide range of careers will be featured from the areas of food, farming, agricultural and horticultural machinery, wildlife and the countryside.
New for 2012 will be food producer McCains and Yorkshire Water, along with Newton Rigg College in Cumbria, which will be showcasing gamekeeping and horticulture courses, and the Scottish Agricultural College.
The Grimsby Institute will be working with fish producer Young’s Seafood on a demonstration, while students will be able to check out the U-Explore stand to research land-based careers.
Throughout the day, representatives from a wide range of professions will be on hand to talk about their careers related to the countryside – including farmers, land agents, garden designers, wood workers, auctioneers, chefs and vets.
“The feedback from previous years has been very positive, and we are excited about this year’s event as we have attracted new colleges and organisations to the day. It’s all about opening the students’ eyes to the opportunities for careers related to the countryside,” she said.
ENDS
17 September 2012
Media contact: Judy Thompson, PR Manager, Yorkshire Agricultural Society on 01423 546218 or judyt@yas.co.uk
YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY:
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society was formed in 1837 and is a charity dedicated to supporting the farming industry and rural life. The value of the support it provides to regional farming and countryside initiatives has risen year on year to almost £1m. It is based at the Regional Agricultural Centre, Harrogate; the RAC includes Fodder, the Society’s regional food shop and café which opened in June 2009. Both the RAC and Fodder has won a number of awards, including in 2010, being named as the Observer Monthly Best Independent Local Retailer, and most recently it has been chosen as a finalist in the Taste of England category of the 2012 Visit England Awards for Excellence.
The Society is the organiser of England’s premier agricultural show, the Great Yorkshire Show and its sister event, Countryside Live. Dates for Countryside Live 2012 are Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 October. The 2013 Great Yorkshire Show dates are Tuesday 9 – Thursday 11 July which will be the 155th show.
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