Graduates make the grade at Co-Operative Farms

Two trainees from The Co-operative Farms have been appointed as assistant managers after successfully completing its graduate management programme.

Jim Burston, 25, based at Tillington Farm in Herefordshire, and Jack Smith 24, based at Coldham Farm in Cambridgeshire, have been rewarded for their hard work with the opportunity to progress into senior management with one of Britain’s biggest farmers.

The Co-operative Farms runs two highly-regarded graduate management programmes – fresh produce and mechanised cropping – which are designed to train and develop future farm and business managers.

The pair have completed the fresh produce management programme, which focuses on the whole supply chain from production through to retail buying. During the two-year scheme they undertook four placements, two on farms, one at The Co-operative Group’s head office in Manchester and one at a pack house. Jack has also completed a BASIS certificate in arable crops and Jim is currently taking the BASIS qualification in horticulture.

The Co-operative Farms, which first introduced its management training scheme in 1965, recognises the importance of investing in its people and developing skills and talent to produce the best farm managers.

Dave Watson, Head of Arable Operations at The Co-operative Farms, who graduated from the same scheme 28 years ago, said: “Jim and Jack have worked extremely hard during their training and thoroughly deserve their new roles. They are the latest in a long line of graduates to complete the scheme, many of whom have gone on to manage farms and are still with the business today.

“The Co-operative Farms’ graduate management programme is one of the best there is in the industry. It not only provides a great opportunity for ambitious graduates to prepare for a management role in agriculture, but also for the business, which is part of The Co-operative Food, to develop its leaders of the future.”