Minnie Cooke is currently completing a scholarship placement. Throughout her story, we learn about a wonderful voyage of passion for changing career paths as well as gaining knowledge about the diverse routes within agriculture.
Inspiration to pursue this route came after changing careers from Veterinary Physiotherapy during her second year at Harper Adams to agriculture. “I am from Ireland, and we don’t have our farm, but the course lead gave me the option to access farms. He said if I were serious about this, they would sponsor me to improve my agricultural skills, which I did through Lantra.”
Currently working in a rural health and safety consultancy to farms, and what needs to be actioned such as audits and risk assessments. “Mainly based in agriculture, but involvement with all agri-businesses and estates.” Minnie’s role still varies and can consist of a lot of software testing and making designs for adverts and campaigns. “I am known as the IT person! I enjoy going to events and being able to engage with people, especially to discuss health and safety.”
Within the world of Health and Safety, Minnie’s role is one where being computer-literate and adaptable in learning systems is a must. “If you are looking to start working in agriculture, you can start by getting training, with your tickets like telehandler. If you are more passionate, go and investigate academic study!” There are many interesting qualifications you can do, just make time, and be determined enough to pursue a rewarding path.
“Farming will be relying more on technology going forward”, Minnie explained in agriculture, you can notice the way government and legislation push farming to become regenerative. Within her career in health and safety, some things can be done, for example, trying to become paperless.
We notice, feeding the planet isn’t a simple ask, it’s complex and multi-dimensional. However, in your ‘green bubble,’ you have a personal relationship with nature through access to light and fresh air. “Agriculture is such a massive ecosystem that there is a spot for every type of worker in it! We have endless and diverse opportunities with so many different pathways. We will always need to feed people in different ways.”
As her pathway has already been eventful from moving to England from Northern Ireland, Minnie hopes to remain open-minded. “I am always hesitant to make plans because I did change my career path, agriculture is such an open field and there are so many opportunities.”
Things may go wrong but at the end of the day, you are changing the world. “All the farm work I have done, I loved it, it feels like you are contributing to the world and realising I am feeding people! Being on the land and connecting to provide food to people has been an amazing experience.”
It doesn’t take something massive to make a change, you need that drive and passion to want to make a difference. Minnie explained, “It is rewarding, and you get to be out there amongst beautiful land, it is a wholesome world!” You don’t have to come from a farming background or know everything, in any industry, there will always be people who can help you.
“I always thought you could never enter the industry if you don’t have a farm, but I was wrong!” There is a huge need for people to get into farming, and agriculture welcomes ALL to join.
