Farm worker

Your duties will depend on the type of farm you work on and the time of year.

As a farm worker you could:

• feed and look after livestock
•  operate milking equipment on a dairy farm
•  treat animals and crops to prevent disease
•  plough fields, sow seeds and harvest crops
•  drive tractors, quad bikes and other vehicles to carry out day-to-day tasks
•  maintain farm buildings and agricultural machinery
•  trim hedges, clear drains and ditches and mend fences and walls

• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to operate and control equipment
• the ability to work well with your hands
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• to be flexible and open to change
• the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• the ability to work on your own
• excellent verbal communication skills
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You may need a driving licence for some jobs.

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

With training, qualifications and experience, you could:

• supervise other farm workers
•  work as a contractor, maintaining machinery, or supply services to more than one farm
•  work in agricultural equipment and supplies
•  become an assistant farm manger, which may involve moving between farms to get experience or a promotion