LIFE BEYOND THE MILITARY – OUTDOORS
Rural Weeks
HighGround has pioneered Rural Weeks as the place to start your Life Beyond the Military – Outdoors.
Five fully residential days at an agricultural college, currently Bicton College in Devon and currently being rolled out to Landex colleges in other regions of the UK.
RXW35 – 31 October to 5 November.
They are fully funded for both service leavers and veterans, but the former will be expected to use their Travel & Subsistence allowance.
For more details about how to apply please email: anna@highground-uk.org. Maximum 10 attendees per Rural Week.
How to work out what you want to do
We aim to introduce you to the following areas of the land-based sector:
Land Management
This covers all aspects of work on the land from management and administrative roles to practical, ‘hands-on’ activities which may use trades and skills you already have.
Farming
Agricultural Engineering
Countryside and Environment
Arboriculture
Forestry and Forest Schools
Horticulture
Heritage Railway
Game Keeping and River Management
Smallholdings
‘Farming as an outdoor, practical, small-scale business relies on versatile, resourceful and skilled staff, albeit often without formal qualifications, who can solve problems and manage responsibility. One of the main concerns voiced by farm employers is that they have found it difficult to recruit such staff in recent years.’
DeFra Farm Business Survey, May 2013
Did you know there are approximately 300,00 active farms in the UK generating roughly £8 billion into the UK economy. An average farm size is 57 Ha (1 hectare = 10000 square metres) and the UK’s average age for farmers is 58. They are looking for people like you who’s military training and services involve being able to solve problems and manage responsibility, regardless of the rank you held.
Environmental (outdoor) Design, Production and Leisure
This covers careers available in areas where there is an end product or a service to people and where there are opportunities for practical work or skilled craftsmanship. Many of the roles will offer opportunities for direct contact with customers and the general public.
Floristry
Horticulture
Landscape Design
Leisure Pursuits – eg: canoeing, mountaineering
Viticulture/Cider making
Green Space Management
Sports Turf Management
Aquaculture
Animal Care
This covers the care of all types of animal, their welfare and in many cases training.
Equine – The Horse industry
Animal conservation
Farriery
Veterinary activities
Domestic and Companion Animals
Zoos and Wild Life Parks
What happens during a Rural Week?
College staff and outside presenters will introduce you to their area of expertise with information about what careers in each sector are best suited to ex-military people and the training and qualifications needed.
Monday to Thursday is a combination of classroom-based presentations and practical visits to dairy farms, smallholdings, farm shops, golf courses, RSPB rangers and much more, where subject matter experts freely share their contacts, experience and advice. They have no agenda other than to help you. Friday focusses on self-employment and reviewing the week so that you can make a plan for how to move forwards.
We also invite ex-military people who are now working in the land-based sector to come and talk to us in the evenings and share their experiences of transition and their contacts. It’s not what you know, but who!
Click here to see a typical Rural Weeks timetable
What happens after Rural Week?
Our Careers Manager will follow up to agree a plan to help you move towards land-based employment or self-employment. This could be:
HighGround arranging a work placement for you
Advising about specific courses and how to access funding for them
Putting you in touch with a partner organisation if the Rural Week has identified another issue which may be preventing you from getting nearer to employment, such as housing
Can’t make it to a Rural Week?
As a response to CV-19, we have developed Virtual Rural Weeks and will run two in 2021. Attendance at a VRW does not preclude you from joining a Rural Week but it will increase your knowledge about the land-based sector and where opportunities for those who bring military skills and experience can be accessed.
It’s also a perfect introduction to Team HighGround and what we offer service leavers to help you navigate Life beyond the military – Outdoors.
Get in touch
If you have any questions, or need further information please contact timothy.lever@highground-uk.org or call Tim on 07377 197484.