General Farm Worker Apprentice
P & S HARRIS LTD
BODMIN (PL31 2AZ)
Closes in 18 days (Friday 11 September 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 24 August 2026
Contents
Summary
The team at P&S Harris are excited to be offering an opportunity for a motivated individual to join them as a General Farm Apprentice. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight into the industry and learn new skills.
- Wage
-
£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- General farm worker (level 2)
- Hours
-
Start Time: 10:00 (2x weekdays) Finish Time: 19:00 (2x weekdays)
Start Time: 07:00 (2x weekdays) Finish time: 16:00 (2x weekdays)
Week 1: 08:00 (Saturday) Finish time: 12:00 (Saturday)
Week 2: 08:00 (Sunday) Finish time: 12:00 (Sunday)
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Thursday 1 October 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
As an apprentice at Racecourse Farm, you’ll be fully involved in the day to day running of a modern, prize-winning dairy unit. This is a hands-on role where you learn by doing, working closely with experienced stock people and gaining real responsibility from the start.
Your Key Activities:
- Daily livestock care - feeding, bedding, scraping, monitoring cow comfort and supporting milking routines
- Calf and youngstock rearing - from newborn care to weaning and growing heifers into future herd leaders
- Working with prize winning Holsteins - helping manage high genetic value cattle and learning what makes top class dairy cows stand out
- Beef herd management - assisting with rearing calves right through to stores or sale to Kepak
- Feeding and forage work - understanding how we grow and use grass, maize silage, whole crop and purchased feed to build balanced diets
- Machinery and farm skills - safe use of equipment, yard work, and seasonal tasks across the farm
Professional Development:
You won’t just learn from us - you’ll also work directly with our vet and nutritionist, giving you insight into the professional decision making behind the herd
With the vet:
- Attend routine herd health visits
- Learn about fertility checks and preventative care
- Understand treatment protocols and welfare standards
With the nutritionist:
- See how rations are formulated
- Learn how forage quality affects performance
- Help monitor cow condition, intakes, and diet adjustments
The Experience You’ll Gain:
By the end of your apprenticeship, you’ll understand how a successful dairy farm operates from top to bottom - genetics, welfare, nutrition, milk production, youngstock, forage, and business decisions. You’ll be part of a small, committed team where your work genuinely matters and your skills will grow every day
Where you'll work
RACECOURSE FARM
BODMIN
PL31 2AZ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CORNWALL COLLEGE
Training course
General farm worker (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace, prepare risk assessments and demonstrate high level of health and safety awareness at all times.
- Maintain the correct hygiene and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with relevant legal requirements
- Check that animal welfare needs related to their environment and housing are maintained, including manure management, ensuring the suitability of indoor and outdoor environment and bedding up of animals
- Assist with safe restraint, moving and handling of livestock.
- Legally operate a farm vehicle and each attachment according to health and safety requirements. For example, tractors and ATVs along with other vehicles integral to the business.
- Demonstrate good environmental practice in the workplace, in accordance with environmental assessment plans and associated legal requirements
- Assist with post-harvest activities to meet crop and forage specifications, in a safe and environmentally acceptable way
- Carry out maintenance of farm infrastructure (including housing for livestock, boundaries and electric or non-electric fences), machinery and equipment, as instructed
- Complete manual and electronic records in accordance with legislation and the business processes.
- Monitor and maintain health & welfare of livestock and assist with treatments when appropriate.
- Monitor the quantity and quality of grass and forage crops and report findings to appropriate person.
- Provide feed and water to livestock as instructed and report any issues to appropriate person
- Assist with caring for livestock during the reproductive cycle, from service to weaning. For example, identify signs of heat.
- Produce products for sale from the business (for example, milking, shearing, lambing, harvesting)
- Assist with the preparation of the ground, including identification of soil condition through soil sampling and preparing crop for planting
- Load, unload and complete paperwork for transportation of resources manually and using loading equipment, according to instruction
- Monitor the growth and development of crops in line with customer specification, as instructed
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace, prepare risk assessments and demonstrate high level of health and safety awareness at all times.
- Maintain the correct hygiene and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with relevant legal requirements
- Check that animal welfare needs related to their environment and housing are maintained, including manure management, ensuring the suitability of indoor and outdoor environment and bedding up of animals
- Assist with safe restraint, moving and handling of livestock.
- Legally operate a farm vehicle and each attachment according to health and safety requirements. For example, tractors and ATVs along with other vehicles integral to the business.
- Demonstrate good environmental practice in the workplace, in accordance with environmental assessment plans and associated legal requirements
- Assist with post-harvest activities to meet crop and forage specifications, in a safe and environmentally acceptable way
- Carry out maintenance of farm infrastructure (including housing for livestock, boundaries and electric or non-electric fences), machinery and equipment, as instructed
- Complete manual and electronic records in accordance with legislation and the business processes.
Training schedule
You will be working towards a Level 2 General Farm Worker apprenticeship standard.
Mandatory qualifications within this standard include:
- Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work
- Level 2 City & Guilds Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides Guidance or Lantra Safe Use of Pesticides
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade D / 3)
- Maths (grade D / 3)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Willingness to learn
- Proactive
- Punctual
- Reliable
Other requirements
The role will cover all aspects of grass based dairy farming on a day-to-day basis. Employment with Racecourse Farm will enable a good variety of tasks to be performed, as well as opportunities for further development. The farm is situated close to Bodmin with a bus stop within walking distance.
About this employer
Racewood Holsteins is a progressive dairy enterprise based just outside Bodmin, producing high quality milk from our 200 pedigree Holsteins. We rear all our own replacements and manage every stage of the herd’s development, from newborn calves to mature, high performing cows. Our beef calves are either kept on as stores or sold to Kepak, giving us a well rounded, sustainable livestock system.
What sets us apart is our commitment to cow comfort, welfare, and performance. Our Holsteins are not only productive — they are prize winning cattle recognised for their genetics, conformation, and overall quality. We invest heavily in nutrition, housing, and stockmanship to ensure every animal thrives.
We grow our own grass, maize silage, and whole crop, allowing us to maintain full control over feed quality and consistency. This attention to detail underpins the health of the herd and the reliability of our milk supply.
Racewood Holsteins contributes to local agriculture with a modern, well managed dairy unit known for high standards, strong results, and a passion for producing exceptional cattle.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
The successful apprentice will become an integral part of a friendly team.
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship there may be the opportunity for further full-time employment as a general farm worker.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CORNWALL COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000049072.
Apply now
Closes in 18 days (Friday 11 September 2026 at 11:59pm)