Pupils learn more about farming machinery at city event

Groups from Hodge Hill Girls School and Bishop Challoner Catholic College, in Kings Heath, joined the NFU Education team at LAMMA in Birmingham as part of work to develop young people’s understanding of farming, engineering, science and technology.

Building on the success of previous years, this initiative aimed to introduce city schoolchildren to the agricultural industry, highlighting the diverse career opportunities available within the sector with exciting, state-of-the-art technology on show.

The NFU Education team guided more than 30 teenagers through the exhibition on Thursday, January 16 and the Year 9 students got involved in interactive workshops and explored the event further through a scavenger hunt around the exhibits. 

The experiences are designed to provide insights into modern farming practices and show the latest technological advancements in agriculture to young people.

Farmer Rachel Hallos, NFU Vice President, said: “Introducing young people from wide and diverse backgrounds to the agricultural industry is vital for its future sustainability. 

“Many young people, especially those from more city and urban areas, are disconnected from farming and food production. By showcasing the innovation, technology, and dedication that underpin modern farming practices, we hope to bridge that gap and inspire the next generation to consider careers in agriculture.

“The farming sector offers an incredible diversity of opportunities, from engineering and science to environmental management and food production. 

“Events like LAMMA provide the perfect platform to spark curiosity and encourage students to see farming not just as a job, but as a fulfilling and essential industry that feeds the nation and cares for the environment. 

“By engaging with these students now, we can plant the seeds for a future workforce that is passionate and well-informed about the challenges and rewards of agriculture, and who understand and value the role of farming in their lives."

The schools also met up with NFU Farmers for Schools ambassadors, which is a network of farmers who go into schools and also welcome pupils on farm to discuss the work that is done to put food on our plates.

The tour at LAMMA was in collaboration with event organisers Agriconnect with sponsorship from AGCO, which is a global leader in design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision farming technology.

Sophie Jackson-Holgate, of Agriconnect, said the two-day show was a fantastic place for students who were not from farming backgrounds to come and learn and find out more about exciting career and learning opportunities in the industry. 

She said: “We were thrilled to have students attend the career zone at LAMMA for a second year running.”

While Ash Briggs, od AGCO, said: “With almost everything in today’s modern world being powered by electronics, the AGCO UK and Ireland training team were more than happy to deliver a series of short micro-teach sessions on the subject of basic vehicle electrics.

“Although our apprenticeship scheme has been enormously successful in recent years, we strongly believe that anything we can do to encourage the next generation of agricultural engineers is vital to the future success of our sector.”