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Agricultural/Horticultural Technician

Do you want to become a Agricultural/Horticultural Technician? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Agricultural or horticultural technicians work in land-based service engineering which includes forestry. They repair and maintain a wide range of machinery and equipment used in the industry. This may include:

• agricultural machinery such as tractors, harvesters, sprayers, cultivators and ploughs
• livestock handling and control equipment, milking and feeding systems
• professional groundcare machinery such as compact tractors and ride-on mowers
• domestic groundcare machinery such as lawnmowers and hedge trimmers.

Technicians working with agricultural machinery work on farms. Professional groundcare technicians work on golf courses, sports surfaces or parks, while those working with domestic groundcare machinery work for distributors or machinery hire companies.

They use a range of equipment, tools and information from technical manuals to aid their work. If a fault is found they carry out repairs by welding or replacing parts, adjusting or cleaning components, or making a new part if necessary.

Working hours are normally 37.5 per week, but these are often exceeded. Hours vary to suit requirements and certain times of the year, such as harvest, may be busy.

Salaries range from around £10,000 to £35,000 a year.

An agricultural/horticultural technician should:

• have exceptional mechanical skills and the ability to work quickly
• be able to keep up with changing technology
• be able to work alone without direct supervision and make decisions
• be prepared to spend time away from home for short or long periods
• be interested in agriculture and machinery.

Technicians are employed throughout the UK; there are more opportunities in rural areas than in towns and cities. Career prospects are strong as interest in horticulture and gardening is growing, and the sector is becoming more mechanised.

New entrants may undertake training with an employer leading to NVQs/SVQs in Land-Based Service Engineering and gain membership of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE). School leavers may be able to train through Apprenticeships. Most agricultural colleges also offer higher level qualifications at BTEC HNC/HND level.

Many agricultural/horticultural technician jobs are open to mature applicants, especially if they already have experience of vehicle maintenance work.

There are good opportunities for self-employment, and progression to managerial roles is possible.

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