Crop Technician Apprenticeship Level 3
Course Details
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Department
Agriculture -
Qualification
Level 3 -
Length
2 Years -
Location(s)
York
Course at a glance
An apprenticeship is a job with training. The job must have a productive purpose and should provide the apprentice with the opportunity to embed and consolidate the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need for their immediate job and future career.
Entry Requirements
GCSEs
L3 Apprenticeship Standards require the Apprentice to have prior experience in the Sector and be working in a role with sufficient responsibility to enable them to demonstrate all of the Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours required.
You will have already achieved L1 (as a minimum) & L2 Maths & English, equivalent to GCSE Grade 4 (or old GCSE Grade C) or above. Where applicants do not already hold L2 Maths & English, they must demonstrate the ability to achieve these prior to enrolment.
Cost for students aged Under 19
Free
For students over the age of 19 please contact us
Course summary
With over 150,000 businesses, the agriculture industry offers exciting and varied careers in the UK and abroad. The industry provides the opportunity to work in a technically advanced and innovative environment, with businesses ranging from small family farms through to large integrated organisations working across the food supply chain.
As a Crop Technician you will be responsible for optimising crop/plant yields through establishment, management, harvest and post-harvest operations, while maintaining and improving the surrounding environment. You will also need to keep up to date with technological advances and new innovations.
This standard provides the opportunity for individuals to acquire the ‘knowledge’, ‘skills’ and ‘behaviours’ required and follows a ‘core and options’ approach. This allows the flexibility to learn core subjects and then specialise in either ‘soil-based system’ or ‘containerised systems’.
On successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will be a skilled operator who will continue working on a farm in roles such as unit/arable manager, production manager, farm manager, choosing to progress to junior management through the next level apprenticeship, or you may choose further study and progress to employment in the allied industries such as agronomy.
Key Information
Through your daily work with your employer and your training sessions with the college, you will learn the core content covering the generic requirements of looking after crops competently.
The core subjects covered include:
- Promoting and maintaining health, safety and security
- Maintaining accurate workplace record systems
- Maintaining and operating relevant machinery and equipment
- Preparing seedbeds/growing medium and carrying out crop establishment
- Carrying outcrop management tasks including; control of pests, weeds and diseases, safe use, application and storage of chemicals, plant nutrient application and/or irrigation
- Carrying out harvesting operations safely and at the optimum time to maximise quality
- Storing crops in suitable conditions to maintain quality
You will then follow the most appropriate option for your workplace from:
Option – Soil based system
Soil-based systems are used to grow a wide variety of crops in fields. This includes cereals, oilseeds, a number of vegetables and fruit trees. Production is dependent on the natural resources and physical inputs (plant nutrients etc) and very reliant on the weather which has a significant impact on the growth and ultimate management of a crop. This means you must have the knowledge and ability to adapt at short notice to ensure a high quality product.
Option – Container based system
Container-based systems are generally used within horticulture to grow plants and trees but can also be used for fruit production. In a containerised system, the environment is ‘managed’ and it is likely you will spend a proportion of your time indoors. Container production will involve monitoring and caring for vast numbers of plants on an individual basis, requiring good observational skills and attention to detail.
You will also have to achieve the following qualifications:
- Level 2 Awards in Safe Use of Pesticides
- Level 3 award in Emergency First Aid at Work
On successful completion of the training period, you will move through End Point Assessment Gateway and be in a position to undertake the assessments required in order to achieve your apprenticeship.
The End Point Assessment will only start once the employer is satisfied that you are consistently working at or above the level set out in the occupational standard, the pre-requisite gateway requirements have been met and that they can be evidenced to an End Point Assessment Organisation.
The End Point Assessor will be appointed by the EPAO and will be entirely independent to the college.
For this apprenticeship the End Point Assessment will include:
- Multiple choice exam, usually taken at college
- Practical assessment of tasks in your workplace
- Professional discussion in your workplace
Your apprenticeship will be graded Fail, Pass, Merit or Distinction.
The duration of the apprenticeship is based on a skills analysis and the development opportunities within the business.
The maximum duration for this apprenticeship training period is 24 months, with up to a further 6 months to undertake the End Point Assessment.
This could be reduced where an apprentice holds previous experience.
Individual employers will set their own selection criteria.
L3 Apprenticeship Standards require the Apprentice to have prior experience in the Sector and be working in a role with sufficient responsibility to enable them to demonstrate all of the Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours required.
You will have already achieved L1 (as a minimum) & L2 Maths & English, equivalent to GCSE Grade 4 (or old GCSE Grade C) or above. Where applicants do not already hold L2 Maths & English, they must demonstrate the ability to achieve these prior to enrolment.
Employers pay for apprenticeship training, where fees are applicable. We will discuss this with your employer when we complete a set-up with them.
The fees charged for the apprenticeship include any awarding body registration costs, all on-programme teaching, assessment and support delivered by the college, support materials, access to college facilities such as the Learning Resource Centre, Student Moodle, and access to wider college student support services where required.
Employers must pay apprentices at least the minimum rate set out by current National Minimum Wage Legislation. This includes payment for all off-job learning and any associated costs such as travel and accommodation.
Click here to find more information about the National Minimum Wage.
Employer involvement
Your employer must enable you to spend a minimum of 20% of your usual work hours undertaking off-job learning. This is defined as learning which is undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of the apprenticeship. This can include training that is delivered at your normal place of work but must not be delivered as part of your normal working duties, and must be directly relevant to the apprenticeship standard.
Off-job learning could include the following:
– Teaching of theory such as lectures, role playing, simulation exercises, online learning or manufacturer training
– Practical training such as shadowing experienced staff or mentoring, industry visits and attendance at competitions
– Study support and time spent writing assessments/assignments
Your employer must commit to supporting you in the workplace, participating in progress review meetings, providing use of ICT facilities so you can access your e-portfolio and agreeing/ensuring your readiness for the End Point Assessment. They may be required to provide further supporting evidence/endorsements about your performance, which form part of the End Point Assessment.
Further details of the End Point Assessment will be made available to you during your induction.
College input
We will support you through regular Apprenticeship Progress Review meetings with you and your manager, provide well planned vocational training and theory delivery by block release model and support your theory learning in the workplace with a range of learning materials.
This programme is delivered at our York Campus on Block-release.
How to apply
Applications should be made using the college application form or via the college website. This form can be found at: https://www.askham-bryan.ac.uk/application/register.
Upon receipt of your application you will have an interview with the Course Manager.
Further information
Further information is available on:
Crop technician / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Or, for more information, contact the Apprenticeship Admin team on:
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York Campus
York is one of the College's two residential campuses and is located just four miles from York city centre. At York we offer a full range of subject areas and levels including Apprenticeships, Level 1-3 Diplomas, Foundation, Top Up and BSc Honours Degrees.
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