Overview

A new work experience programme is giving Armed Forces personnel preparing to leave or recently retired from the services the opportunity to explore rewarding careers in the dairy industry. The Armed Forces to Dairy pilot offers service leavers the chance to discover the wide range of opportunities available across modern dairy farming while creating a new pathway into agriculture. The UK dairy industry, as are other agricultural sub sectors, face significant workforce shortages, with many farms struggling to recruit skilled people and some farms facing closure. Strengthening the agricultural workforce is also vital to the nation's food security. Currently, the UK produces around 60% of the food it consumes, highlighting the importance of supporting home-grown food production and building a resilient workforce for the future. Today's dairy industry is far removed from outdated perceptions of farming. Modern dairy businesses use robotic milking systems, precision livestock technologies, drones, engineering, data analysis and animal health monitoring, creating a diverse range of careers that combine technology, innovation and sustainability.