A former Pendle teacher is to play a key role in a ground-breaking agricultural apprentice partnership.
A former Pendle secondary school teacher now working at Craven Cattle Marts in Skipton, is to offer valuable apprenticeship opportunities in a bid to plug an ever-growing skills gap across the agricultural sector.
Andrea Wade is administering a pioneering business-education partnership forged between the auction mart, Craven College and three local farms.
In her teaching career, Andrea has spent most of her 23-year career at Park High School, Colne, beginning as Head of Humanities in 2003, Assistant Headteacher in 2006, before becoming Deputy Headteacher in 2010.
At Park High, Andrea was part of the Pendle Learning Partnership – Pendle Deputies Group, made up of Head and Deputy representatives from secondary schools and colleges across the region.
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Her work within the group led to the design, creation, planning and implementation of the Pendle Employability Award for Key Stage 4 students, promoting high levels of attendance, punctuality, positive attitude, communication, enterprise skills and community contribution.
She joined the auction mart in 2019 and now her educational skills are being put to good use in the ground-breaking jobs-creating initiative, aimed in the first instance at 16-18-year-olds under the General Farm Worker Apprenticeship qualification, but said to have scope to appeal to wider audiences at a later date.
The apprentice opportunities will involve placement at Skipton Auction Mart to gain sale day work experience, running alongside farm-based experience at MP Jennings Dairy in Cowling, JA&JM Wade & Son in Cononley and AL Dean & Son in Threshfield, and college training.
Between them, the three farms offer an across-the-board range of working practices and disciplines involving cattle, sheep and pigs, and all other general agricultural-related activities such as milking, calving, lambing, feeding, bedding, tractor and machinery handling, husbandry, and treatments.
Andrea, whose husband Robert is one of the three farmers involved in the project, explained: “On our own farm, like many others, we are struggling to recruit young farm workers.
“There is a definite labour shortage across the agricultural sector.
“This innovative scheme could well help plug the gap and attract more young people who want to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle, including those who do not have a background in farming.”
CCM’s general manager and auctioneer Jeremy Eaton said: “It’s noticeable that with the requirement for students to stay in full time education until the age of 18 that the traditional source of applicants for roles around livestock markets, particularly those who live on farms, has dried up.
“If we as businesses are to stem the flow of young people into alternative career paths then I believe we have to be actively engaged in developing worthwhile apprenticeship roles.
“The combination of CCM working alongside proactive farms means that a student can fully learn a variety of disciplines to become very employable in the rural sector.”
Craven College, which continues to attract many students from across the border, maintains a major on-site presence at the auction mart site, specialising in courses such as Agriculture Crops and Livestock, Countryside Management and Gamekeeping, Equine Care and Management, Horticulture, Landscaping and Sports Turf.
Gareth Dixon, Craven College’s Vice Principal – Finance and Resources, said: “The College and Craven Cattle Mart have worked closely for many years.
“This exciting collaboration is the natural next step in our partnership, as well as allowing Craven College to continue to support the local farming community.”
The first intake of students will be this September, and anyone interested in the scheme can contact the Mart Office or email opps@ccmauctions.com
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