Young competition finalists from Broadland High Ormiston Academy have been treated to behind-the-scenes look at leading fruit grower Place UK earlier this month, in a drive to promote careers in agriculture. Matt Smith, co-managing director at Place UK, explains more
Young finalists of a social media competition to design posts encouraging people to seek careers in farming have been on an exclusive tour of Norfolk-based Place UK – one of the country’s leading fruit growers. Earlier in the year, Place UK in Tunstead, near Wroxham, challenged Year 8 students at Broadland High Ormiston Academy to design an Instagram post promoting the benefits of working at the farm – a site which grows British berries and rhubarb, and is a leading supplier of individually frozen beans, pulses, pasta and grains, for supermarkets, restaurants, food manufacturers and grocers.
Six finalists were picked out and recently invited onto site to present their ideas to Place UK’s management team, see the farm in action and take a behind-the-scenes peek inside its polytunnels to learn about how high-quality fruit is grown at scale using the latest data-led crop management and cutting-edge robotics.
On the day, Mia was selected as the winner for their design, which showed a creative approach highlighting the role on their farm, focusing on their caring and supportive environment.
Matt Smith, co-managing director at Place UK, said the competition was part of an ongoing relationship with Broadland High to support their careers education and reveal more to pupils about fascinating careers in agriculture.
“The agri-food and agri-tech sector is a pillar of the local economy, and as one of the UK’s leading growers, helping Norfolk-grown produce reach kitchens across the country, we’re passionate about showcasing the fantastic opportunities it can offer for young people starting their careers. With developing technologies, such as AI and advancing robotics, it’s a growing and evolving sector waiting for an injection of energy and ideas from tomorrow’s young minds,” explained Matt.
“We were incredibly impressed with the designs and suggestions the students presented to us. They had all thought carefully about how they could demonstrate the benefits of a career in farming, but Mia’s post really caught our eye because of her strong graphic and creative understanding when tying these ideas into a finalised design.
“We hope their visit and tour gave them an exciting insight into what it’s like to work on a large commercial farm and hopefully inspired more to pursue roles in agriculture.”
Place UK has plans to further bolster its relationship with Broadland High students this year through becoming an Enterprise Employer, as part of an initiative by the Norfolk and Suffolk Careers Hub. The scheme teams schools and colleges with businesses to connect education in the classroom with real-world opportunities and ensure young people have the skills and confidence to step into the world of work.
As an Enterprise Employer, Place UK will offer students workplace experiences and give teachers a first-hand look into the agricultural sector, so they can link their teaching to career pathways and opportunities.
Simon Laycock, Vice Principal at Broadland, feels the partnership will support and extend the school’s existing careers programme. He added: “We’re excited to be working with Place UK and other local employers to inspire our students and make them aware of the wide range of jobs in our region.”
Featured image – supplied
Leave a Reply