Teaching Instructor – Farming and Rural Skills

Full time
Reports to: Farming and Rural Skills Curriculum Manager
Salary: Subject to Experience and Qualifications
Location: Dumfries House, Cumnock, KA18 2NJ

The King’s Foundation

The King’s Foundation is a charity founded by King Charles III and was first formed in 1990. Inspired by the vision and values of His Majesty, the Foundation focuses on creating better communities where people, places and the planet can coexist in harmony.

The charity offers education courses for over 15,000 students annually, health and wellbeing programmes for nearly 2,000 people every year, and spearheads placemaking and regeneration projects in the UK and overseas to revitalise communities and historic buildings.

The King’s Foundation is headquartered at its flagship regeneration project, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, and acts as custodian of other historic Royal sites including the Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland, and Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire, which are open to visitors. The Foundation also carries out its work at educational and cultural hubs in London, based at The King’s Foundation School for Traditional Arts in Shoreditch, Trinity Buoy Wharf on the River Thames and the Garrison Chapel in Chelsea.

The work of The King’s Foundation is underpinned by our Founder His Majesty The King’s philosophy of harmony: that by understanding the balance, the order and the relationships between ourselves and the natural world we can create a more sustainable future. We have a diverse and inclusive workplace, creating a welcoming, safe space for everyone. This means that every member of our team can bring their whole self to work. We encourage qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply to and join The King’s Foundation and bring their valuable skills and experiences.

The Foundation is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees, including the provision of workplace adjustments. We do not tolerate discrimination based on protected characteristics (age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership) or other difference such as socio-economic background or social origin.

The Role:

This role will see you deliver practical vocational skills required in an agricultural setting and the wider land based industry . Duties will include the creation, preparation and delivery of practical activities, training and assessment to a high standard for the learner who will range from secondary school to industry. This will normally comprise of livestock, field tasks linked to their curriculumor professional need. Machinery and estate maintenance and rural skills development such as fencing are additional areas being considered depending on candidates expertise.

As Teaching Instructor, the individual will deliver practical land-based education, imparting knowledge on Agri/forestry, workshop skills and estate work. Collaboration with Farm and Estate staff is crucial to align hands-on land based practices with the theory provided in the classroom. The role will involve assessment of the learners’ application of skills in real-world land-based scenarios.

The Teaching Instructor in collaboration with other members of the Farming and Rural Skills Education Team and colleagues from the farm and estate will guide students through the practical skills needed in agriculture and estate work for the 21st Century. This holistic focus requires an up-to-date understanding of industry standards and a commitment to advocating environmental and technological efficiency. The role prepares learners for the versatile nature of rural land management careers.

Key Tasks

Specific Duties will include:

• To instruct on a range of farm and estate topics to maximise the learner experience in ‘Learn by Doing’.
• To support the Farm and Rural Skills Education Team in the delivery of learning and assessment in order to meet agreed aspirations of the Centre and The King’s Foundation.
• To work with the wider education team to meet the aims and vision of the education department.
• Preparing for, instructing and demonstrating a range of practical skills and techniques relevant to Land based industry and related courses or programmes which they would assist in the development of.
• Ensure that The King’s Foundation policies on Health, Safety & Wellbeing are implemented and monitor systems of work in order to achieve a safe working environment.
• Maintain a genuine commitment to ensure industry best practice is followed at all times particularly with regard to Health & Safety issues.
• Supervision of students undertaking the development and consolidation of practical skills.
• Instruct and assess, if appropriate, learners in related skills that potentially lead to or part of a vocational and or academic qualification.
• Liaise with education technician and farm staff to ensure all practical sessions are set up and organised in advance of the session.
• Work with Curriculum Manager to create, monitor and complete attendance and performance documentation of those individuals participating.
• Work with Technician and Farm and Estates teams to produce rotas of any specific livestock practical activities such as lambing or hedge work as an example.
• Provide ongoing feedback to learners to maintain appropriate standards of work.
• Preparation of tools, equipment, machinery and work areas for practical sessions.
• To work with Curriculum Manager in the purchasing of resources to maintain best practice and enhance the student experience.
• Promote team-work and motivation amongst learners.
• Develop professional working relationships with other staff within centre and across The King’s Foundation and positively promote The King’s Foundation to others.
• Comply with The King’s Foundation Quality Assurance cycles and appropriate procedures.
• Maintain and take due care of all equipment, apparatus and stock.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties requested from time to time.

Person Specification

The essential skills, knowledge and experience required are:

• Able to represent The King’s Foundation professionally at all times.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and organisational skills.
• Ability to work proactively and flexibly to achieve set objectives.
• The ability to work well within a team, maintaining positive relationships with the wider education staff.
• Ability to instruct learners from complete beginner from 14 years and older in Farming and Rural Skills Based activity. Task could include animal husbandry; cattle sheep, pigs and poultry, fencing, installing water troughs and associated pipe works.

Other:

The post will be based at Dumfries House, Cumnock, KA18 2NJ at the Farming and Rural Skills Education Centre with the requirement to travel on occasion.

Your working hours will be 37.5 hours per week

You must have the legal right to work in the UK.

This post is considered to be a regulated activity therefore any offer will be subject to a satisfactory disclosure check with the Disclosure Scotland.

Applications: Please submit a cover letter and CV (please note one A4 page maximum each for CV and letter) to Gordon Watson, email address: – hr.recruitment@kings-foundation.org and request an application form.

The King\’s Foundation

Dumfries House

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