Agriculture Apprentice

British Sugar is a home-grown success story and one of the most efficient and competitive beet processers in the world. Around 3,500 farmers based in East Anglia and the East Midlands supply our four advanced manufacturing sites with eight million tonnes of sugar beet every year. We, in turn, make this into over 1 million tonnes of sugar, serving customers across the UK, Ireland and increasingly growing commercially in the EU and world sugar markets.

In this apprenticeship you will follow a wide and fulfilling pathway, learning all aspects of the sugar industry from field to factory. Agriculture can offer you an extensive and varied opportunity to bring together many skills from using the latest technology and scientific practices to the more traditional methods of farming within the UK. This role will give you the opportunity to learn while working in an established business of over 100 years; working with British farmers, suppliers, hauliers, and engineers to ensure a consistent, efficient and reliable supply of sugar to our customers.

Our aim is to build upon the skills acquired via a mix of college-based and workplace learning, whilst developing a mindset that will give you the ability to succeed in our business. As the UK’s sole producer of sugar from home-grown sugar beet, this apprenticeship is unique.

This is not a traditional farm-based apprenticeship – it will suit you if you already have a background or strong interest in agriculture or want to begin working towards a minimum of a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Agriculture. This is an opportunity to become an integral part of our team, to develop and become a trusted partner with our growers and the wider agricultural industry.

Our agricultural teams work in every aspect of growing sugar beet, starting with developing plans with our farmers, contractors, and harvesters through to the hauliers to ensure all aspects of sugar beet growing and delivery are managed collaboratively to maintain a strong and resilient industry partnership. British Sugar offers the opportunity to experience working with our technical team, our in-house growing team as well as the main core of the farmer growing operation.

This is a 36-month programme, following the Assistant Farm Manager apprenticeship standard Level 4, run by Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire. You will be based in an area around one of our East Anglian factories - Bury St Edmunds, Wissington or Cantley, and spend time at college on block release where required. You will work closely with the Agricultural Managers as you develop your skills and experience before taking on your own crop area on successful scheme completion.

What will you need?

• A minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) at Level 5/C or above which must include Maths, English and a Science.
• Due to the regional nature of this role, candidates must hold a full clean driving licence and be able to travel to the workplace, including multiple site locations and to attend college.