Hartpury College is celebrating a bumper crop of agriculture student enrolments, confirming the Gloucestershire institution’s place as a leading provider of agriculture education in the UK.
Enrolments are up by over 17% on the previous year, with over 400 students studying agriculture, land-based technology or countryside management (game) through a Hartpury diploma or apprenticeship in the subject area. In addition to an increase in overall student numbers, the department has also seen an increase in female agriculture students.
Hartpury’s 360-hectare estate is home to a commercial farm that supplies big industry names, such as Müller, as well as a £2 million agricultural technology centre (Agri-Tech Centre) and Tech Box Park. Access to the latest technology as well as dedicated classrooms, designated machinery workshops, an advanced new dairy parlour, and 400 hectares of arable land across five sites help students to build an impressive technical skillset ideal for future employers.
Claire Whitworth, Deputy Principal at Hartpury College, said: “Agriculture is in our DNA at Hartpury, so we’re thrilled to see more and more students opting for a career in this dynamic and rapidly changing sector.
“It’s great to see an increasing number of students from a non-farming background pursuing a career in agriculture, as well as seeing more female students taking advantage of the growing opportunities that now exist.
“We’ve invested heavily in our agri-tech facilities during recent years. These facilities, combined with high-quality teaching and close cooperation with business, make us a beacon for agriculture education.”
BTEC students continued a legacy of strong performances in 2022, with 73% achieving a high-grade profile reflecting strong course work and/or exam performance of Distinction level and 96% progress onto employment, university or further study (Hartpury College 2022). Student satisfaction remains high too, with 98% of students at the Ofsted Outstanding college reporting being satisfied with teaching, and 97% of students feeling stimulated and challenged in their lessons (Hartpury College 2022).
Hartpury College students can also progress on to study at Hartpury University, opting for a range of agriculture degrees. In addition to the popular BSc (Hons) Agriculture, students can specialise in Crop Production, International or Livestock Production. With 100% of agriculture undergraduates in employment, further study or other purposeful activity (Graduate Outcomes 2022), this is a great way to further develop skills and expertise for a career in this exciting and increasingly technological industry.
Students can now progress further with a newly launched MSc Applied Agricultural Sciences.
