The Level 2 General farm worker, and the 13 providers delivering it.
Support the operation of a farm.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn the core skills needed to support day-to-day farm operations, covering health and safety, biosecurity, animal welfare, and basic record keeping. The standard splits into two pathways: Livestock Worker or Crop Worker. Livestock apprentices develop knowledge of animal health, nutrition, and reproductive cycles. Crop apprentices focus on soil sampling, crop monitoring, and integrated crop management. Both pathways include operating and driving farm vehicles, managing forage and crop storage, minimising waste, and working to the farm's environmental and business standards.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Work is directed by a supervisor and varies by season and farm type. On a livestock farm, a typical week involves feeding and watering animals, monitoring their health and welfare, assisting with treatments, and supporting reproductive management from service through to weaning. On a crop-focused farm, tasks include soil sampling, monitoring crop growth and condition, and preparing ground for planting. Both pathways involve driving tractors or other farm vehicles, completing daily records manually or electronically, and liaising with vets, contractors, or farm advisors as needed.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship opens entry-level roles such as stockperson, shepherd, tractor driver, assistant herdsperson, or general farm operative. From there, progression typically leads to supervisory or specialist positions, including herd manager, crop technician, or farm supervisor, often supported by a Level 3 apprenticeship or further agricultural qualifications. Employers include livestock farms, arable businesses, mixed farms, and estate operations of all sizes across the UK. The apprenticeship suits anyone building a career in production agriculture, whether starting out or formalising existing practical experience.
13 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Hartpury University and Hartpury College, based on a 360-hectare specialist campus in Gloucestershir...
Sunderland College is a further education provider in the North East of England offering a broad ran...
Plumpton College is a specialist land-based and environmental college offering a wide range of appre...
Myerscough College is a specialist land-based and sports college offering apprenticeships, further e...
Craven College is a further and higher education college based in Skipton, North Yorkshire, which of...
Bishop Burton College is a specialist land-based and technical education provider offering a wide ra...
Askham Bryan College is a specialist land-based college offering apprenticeship training and wider s...
Kendal College is a further education college based in Kendal, on the edge of the Lake District Nati...
Reaseheath College is a land-based and technical college in Nantwich, Cheshire, offering a wide rang...
Herefordshire, Ludlow & North Shropshire College (HLNSC) is a Further Education college group made u...
Wiltshire College & University Centre is a further and higher education college offering a broad por...
Sparsholt College Hampshire is a land-based further and higher education provider offering a wide ra...
Skern Training & Skills is an apprenticeship and corporate training provider offering tailored progr...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completers typically move into roles such as Stockperson, Assistant Herdsperson, Shepherd, Tractor Driver, or General Farm Operative. Those on the livestock pathway tend to focus on day-to-day animal husbandry, feeding, health monitoring and assisting through the reproductive cycle. Crop-pathway completers move into roles centred on soil preparation, crop monitoring, machinery operation and harvest activities. Both tracks involve working to a supervisor's direction while taking on defined responsibility for routine tasks independently.
Progression paths
With two to three years of post-completion experience, workers typically progress to Senior Stockperson, Herd Manager, or Crop Supervisor. The livestock track can lead to Head Herdsperson or Farm Manager roles overseeing animal health programmes and staff. The crop track can lead to Arable Farm Supervisor or Farm Manager with responsibility for agronomy decisions and machinery fleet. Longer term, some move into specialist contractor work, self-employment, or continue into a Level 3 standard such as the Senior Farm Worker or Farm Manager apprenticeship.
Where these roles sit
Most hiring comes from mixed farms, arable holdings, dairy units, beef and sheep enterprises, and horticultural operations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Employers range from family-run farms of modest scale through to large commercial agricultural businesses and estate farms. Both private and tenanted farm businesses recruit at this level. Labour contractors supplying seasonal and permanent farm staff also take on completers.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the apprenticeship, the worker builds competence in real farm conditions, covering core duties shared by all farm workers alongside either the Livestock or Crop option. Before moving to final assessment, a readiness check (the gateway) confirms that the apprentice and employer are satisfied the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been demonstrated to the standard needed. Final assessment then confirms occupational competence. The model for many Level 2 agricultural standards is currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current assessment specification before enrolling.
What learners need to prepare
Farm work moves quickly and evidence can be easy to lose track of, so keeping records of daily tasks from early in the programme matters. Building a portfolio of real workplace activities, whether that covers livestock handling, crop monitoring, vehicle operation, or record keeping, is far more manageable when done continuously rather than in a rush before the gateway. Apprentices should discuss readiness checkpoints regularly with both their employer and training provider, rather than treating preparation as something that happens only at the end.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
A strong provider for this standard will have tutors and assessors with recent, practical farm experience, not just a training background. Check the achievement rate on the FATP profile: above 65% is a reasonable baseline for a hands-on, outdoor occupation where weather, seasonal pressures and long hours affect completion. Because the standard splits into Livestock and Crop pathways, look for a provider who clearly delivers both options and can confirm which one has stronger employer engagement in your region. Employer and apprentice satisfaction scores above 80% are worth noting, particularly any learner reviews that mention on-farm assessment rather than classroom-only contact.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers who cannot tell you whether their assessors hold current agricultural qualifications or have worked on farms within the last five years. A high volume of starts combined with a declining achievement rate suggests the provider may not be supporting apprentices through the seasonal pressures and irregular hours typical of farm work. Vague answers about how they handle the Livestock versus Crop split, or providers who seem to offer only one pathway in practice, are worth probing further. Ask how off-the-job training is structured around harvest, lambing or other peak periods.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the last two years?
- Do your assessors hold current agricultural qualifications, and when did they last work on a commercial farm?
- How do you structure off-the-job training around seasonal peaks such as lambing, calving or harvest?
- Can you demonstrate that you deliver both the Livestock and Crop pathway, and which do you have more employer experience with?
- How do you handle record-keeping and vehicle licence requirements within the programme, given these are assessed competencies?
- Which regions do you cover, and how frequently will an assessor visit the farm?
- Can you put us in contact with an employer in a similar farm type who has completed the programme with you?
Common questions
What entry requirements does a candidate need to start this apprenticeship?
There are no nationally fixed academic entry requirements for this standard. Employers set their own criteria, but candidates typically need a basic level of literacy and numeracy to handle record keeping and follow written instructions. A full UK driving licence, or the willingness to work towards one, is often expected given that operating farm vehicles is a core part of the role. Previous farm experience is helpful but not essential.
How long does the apprenticeship take and what does the time commitment look like?
The typical duration is 18 months, though the exact minimum and the required proportion of off-the-job training are subject to ongoing revision under current Skills England reforms. Check the latest specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page for this standard before confirming arrangements. Throughout, the apprentice remains employed and works on the farm full time, applying and developing skills alongside their learning programme.
How is the apprenticeship assessed and what is the gateway?
Before the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway. At that point the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met all occupational requirements, completed their learning, and is ready to be assessed. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated, so check the current specification on gov.uk for the exact methods used. The apprentice must demonstrate competence across both the core content and their chosen option, either Livestock or Crop.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £8,000, which is the maximum government contribution toward training and assessment costs. Larger employers who pay the apprenticeship levy draw the cost from their levy account. SMEs that do not pay the levy contribute 5 per cent of the training cost and the government pays the remaining 95 per cent. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing; the government covers the full cost.
What does a general farm worker actually do day to day?
Day-to-day work is set by a supervisor and varies by season and farm type. On a livestock holding, tasks include monitoring animal health and welfare, providing feed and water, assisting through the reproductive cycle from service to weaning, and contributing to activities like milking, lambing, or shearing. On an arable or mixed farm, work shifts toward soil sampling, ground preparation, crop monitoring, and managing the transport and storage of resources. Basic record keeping runs alongside all tasks.
Where can an apprentice progress after completing this apprenticeship?
Completion opens routes into more specialised or senior farm roles. Typical job titles include stockperson, shepherd, assistant herdsperson, or tractor driver. From there, progression to a Level 3 apprenticeship such as the Land-based Service Engineer or a crop or livestock specialist standard is a natural next step. Some completers move into supervisory positions on larger enterprises. Further qualifications in areas like machinery operation, animal health, or agronomy can support that progression.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 621.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.