Its first horticultural and agricultural apprenticeship programme opened for business today.
Research carried out by YouGov suggests that more than three quarters [80%] of young adults still have outdated perceptions of what careers in the industry actually involve.
Promisingly, however, the study also found that a third of young adults selected criteria that match modern day careers in farming when they were asked to describe their ideal job – access to the latest technology (selected by 28%), flexible working hours (56%) and variety in their day-to-day work.
The Sainsbury’s programme gives young people aged 16 and above the chance to work with some of the retailer’s most progressive food suppliers, many of whom use the latest innovations and technology in the sector – from learning the digital infrastructure of glasshouse computer systems to managing crop growth through the use of drones and smart phone apps.
The chain’s horticultural manger, Robert Honeysett, said: “Our research reveals there’s a significant gap between what young people think of farming, and some of the jobs that are available today. We’re passionate in playing our part to support the future of British farming, and help attract young people into the industry.”
The Defra Secretary of State, Elizabeth Truss, said: “Food and farming is vital to Britain’s future, already contributing £100bn a year to the economy. The people who give this industry its extraordinary energy are some of the most innovative in the world and we want more young people to see food and farming as an attractive career.
“Over the next few years we will open up more opportunities for young people by trebling the number of apprenticeships across the sector.”
Anyone interested in the Sainsbury’s scheme should visit the website here.