John Deere highlighted its award-winning engineering apprenticeship programme at Cereals 2012 with the publication of a new training prospectus, as part of the event’s aim to promote training and careers in farming.
Aimed at young people aged 16 to 19 interested in a career in landbased engineering, the prospectus provides details of John Deere’s Ag Tech, Turf Tech and Parts Tech apprentice technician and parts training programmes. These are managed by training provider Babcock, who deliver 10 per cent of all work-based apprenticeship programmes in the UK.
“We want to get across the message that the agricultural and turf machinery industry is an exciting, challenging and rewarding career choice for young people,” says John Deere Limited’s training manager Chris Wiltshire. “Apprentice technicians will very quickly find themselves working with highly sophisticated equipment, from computerised controls and satellite navigation systems to advanced, fuel-efficient engines and Formula 1 transmission technology.
“John Deere dealer service technicians are trained in engineering, electronics, hydraulics, diagnostics, communication skills, computing, sales and marketing. The need for skilled people working in our industry has never been greater, and we believe that these training programmes offer an ideal career development path to anyone with a keen interest in engineering.”
The programmes are based at Babcock’s purpose built training facility in Ruddington, near Nottingham, not far from the John Deere Training Centre at Langar. The John Deere apprenticeship is the first landbased agricultural and turf machinery programme with training delivered in the workplace, with assessment and guidance from Babcock’s team of expert learning advisers.
Technicians on the programmes work towards City & Guilds or NVQ Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications. Ag Tech and Turf Tech apprentices can go on to gain the John Deere Diploma and register at LTA Level 2 in the industry’s Landbased Technician Accreditation scheme, while starting their adult training within the John Deere University.
A record 45 apprentices signed up for last year’s Ag Tech, Turf Tech and Parts Tech apprenticeship training programmes, and applications are now being invited for enrolment on the next set of courses starting in September 2012.
http://www.farminguk.com/KnowledgeCentre/John-Deere-Training-Prospectus-2012_184.html
