Career Suggestion

Farm secretary

Farm secretaries are responsible for the day-to-day running of the business side of farms.

Average salary (a year)

£24000.0 to £38000.0 (starter to experienced)

Typical hours (a week)

37.0 to 40.0

You could work

between 8am and 6pm flexibly

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
  • training with a professional body

College

You may find it useful to do a college course in a relevant subject like:

  • business administration
  • bookkeeping
  • accounting
  • T Level in Management and Administration

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

  • funding advice|https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/financial-help
  • guide to T Levels|https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/
  • search for courses|/find-a-course

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Business Administrator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, or an Assistant Farm Manager Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

These apprenticeships can take up to 2 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • apprenticeship levels|https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/apprentices/about-apprenticeships#UnderstandingApprenticeshiplevelsandqualifications
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

Direct Application

You could apply directly for jobs. Employers will usually ask for GCSEs grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English and maths, or equivalent qualifications.

You'll also need experience of office administration and knowledge of bookkeeping or accounting.

Other Routes

You could take a training course through a professional body like The Institute of Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators .

You can take these courses whether you're working in the farming industry or looking for a change of career.

More Information

Career Tips

An understanding of farming and rural life will be helpful, particularly if you've lived or worked on a farm before.

Further Information

You can find out more about working as a farm secretary and other roles through The Institute of Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators and Tasty Careers .

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • business management skills
  • administration skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • the ability to work on your own
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to organise your time and workload
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Day-to-day tasks

As a farm secretary, you could:

  • carry out admin tasks using agricultural business software
  • use livestock and crop records to help with production planning
  • apply for government grants and subsidies
  • prepare farm business accounts and tax returns
  • calculate wages and update staff records
  • order and pay for new equipment and supplies
  • keep up to date with farming, health and safety and tax laws

Working environment

You could work on a farm, in an office or from home.

With experience, you could become a farm manager.

You could also move into other types of rural business, like stables or countryside management, or use your business and administrative skills in other industries.

Related careers

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