INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURE & HORTICULTURE Launches virtual work experience
programme

The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH) says it is thrilled to announce the overwhelming success of its innovative Virtual Work Experience (VWEX) programme - Grow Your Sustainable Career, Work Experience in Farming - which launched in June 2024.

The programme was designed specifically to support educators and careers advisers seeking to meet Gatsby benchmarks and provide students with meaningful insights into the diverse and technologically advanced world of modern farming and growing.

The VWEX programme offers key benefits for careers advisers and teachers as it:

• Aligns with key Gatsby benchmarks supporting high-quality careers guidance
• Is accessible to all students by removing geographical and financial barriers
• Provides a risk-free environment for students to engage with the agriculture and horticulture sector
• Features virtual farm tours, professional interviews and interactive activities

The programme addresses key challenges in the awareness of careers in agriculture and horticulture, tackling outdated perceptions of the sector, the low awareness of diverse career paths and the lack of diversity in the industry workforce.

Available free of charge until April 2025, the VWEX programme has the potential to reach thousands more students through the Springpod platform.