Scholarship to help fund work experience for dream job

Posted 17 July 2017

Although not from a farming family, Nick Wright has worked hard to fulfill his dream of becoming a farm manager.

The 21 year-old has received a John Longwill scholarship to help fund a placement in New Zealand, which will help him secure a job as a trainee farm manager on his return to the UK.

Nick, from Lutterworth, Leicestershire, said: “Due to the lack of a home farm, I saw Harper as the perfect way to start my journey into agriculture. I’ll be graduating with a BSc degree in agriculture, helping to get me a step closer to becoming a farm manager.

“The course at Harper has significantly increased my knowledge around agriculture, especially within the arable sector. I started at Harper on the FdSc Agriculture and am now topping-up to BSc Agriculture with Crop Management.

“Being awarded a John Longwill scholarship would provide me with the very best opportunity to start my career in agricultural farm management. I have provisionally been offered a post as trainee farm manager, subject to me obtaining additional work experience.

“I have been working with the University to identify suitable work experience opportunities. They have a number of contacts with training farms in New Zealand which would suit the requirements of my prospective employer.

“The scholarship would go a long way to help fund my initial travel expense to take up a training post in New Zealand. While there my intention is to work for the local summer season, approximately six months self-funding my living costs and earning enough to cover my return travel costs.”