Farm worker
Look after animals, grow organic crops and operate energy-efficient machinery on a farm.
Also known as: agricultural labourer, agricultural worker, farm labourer, farmer
About the job
What it's like
Are you looking for a job where you'll work outdoors and carry out practical duties? If so, a career as a farm worker may be perfect for you.
You'll do a combination of practical and manual work on a farm. In some roles, you'll look after animals like cows, chickens and pigs. Jobs on other farms may involve growing or harvesting crops.
You could work on one of three main types of farm:
livestock – dealing with animals
arable – growing crops
mixed – working with both animals and crops
Whatever type of farm you work on, you'll operate machinery and do general repairs. Your work will be supervised by the owner, farm manager, supervisor or landowner. You might also manage casual staff and agricultural contractors.
Your duties will vary depending on the type of farm and the time of year.
Increasingly, farm workers are using digital technology as their roles evolve to become more sustainable. For example, Cow Fitbits – just like the ones we wear on our wrist – are a great way to track and monitor cows on a farm.
Your tasks might include:
feeding animals and mucking out their environment on a livestock farm
ploughing fields and sowing seeds on an arable farm
using milking machines with dairy cows on a livestock farm
spreading fertiliser, harvesting crops and spraying them with pesticides or weedkillers on an arable farm
operating farm machinery and vehicles such as tractors and combine harvesters
doing manual tasks like repairing farm buildings, putting up and mending fences and working with ditches
Green job
In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Lantra Scotland – discover training that'll help you build skills relevant to the land-based, aquaculture and environmental sector
The Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC) – check out this membership organisation for young people who live and work in rural Scotland
Skills Hub Scotland – browse through a range of useful qualifications that can help you get started in the industry or take your career to the next level
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Food and drink Animals, land, water and environment
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking initiative
- attention to detail
- social conscience
- working with numbers
- verbal communication
- cooperating
- resilience
- positive attitude
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Biology
Environmental Science
Skills for Work: Rural Skills
There are a few routes you can take to start your career as a farm worker.
Work
You can apply directly with an employer or get an entry-level job and work your way up.
As long as you have some experience working on a farm and are interested in the industry, you can apply for farm worker roles.
Use the My World of Work job search to look for vacancies.
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in Agriculture.
If you're aged 16 to 24, you could apply for a land-based pre-apprenticeship programme. It's a 26-week paid placement where you'll gain rural skills and experience.
The pathway is designed to lead to a Modern Apprenticeship, college course or full-time work in the agriculture industry.
Learn more about the programme and how to apply on Lantra Scotland.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you secure a job. Useful subjects include:
Agriculture
Rural Business Management
Animal Care
Land-based Engineering
Use the My World of Work course search to find relevant HNCs and HNDs.
Volunteering in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a farm worker. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
You can also get farming experience by taking on a weekend or summer job, doing dairy work or crop picking.
You have to be physically fit.
For some farming roles, you may need a driving licence.
Find the right course for you
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