English 
by Rhian Williams, New Landworkers Training Coordinator, plus contributions from the Landworkers’ Alliance staff team and Coordinating Group
In order to realise our vision of a future society which is rooted firmly in agroecology, it goes without saying that we need many more people trained in agroecological landwork, land stewardship and in working together to share agroecological principles and techniques. Plenty of research exists which identifies gaps in current training provision, while also highlighting the desire amongst many demographics and social groups – from young people in urban areas to established hill farmers – to learn skills in agroecological landwork. It is clear that a lack of appropriate training opportunities is a significant barrier preventing people from entering or transitioning to agroecological farming and landwork.
Whilst we have a long way to go, every day many of our members are delivering and receiving valuable training in fields, woodlands and barns across the UK. Many of us hold in our minds the places and people who have inspired us through their teaching and demonstration. Knowledge exchange between landworkers new and old is vital to our movement and something we as the LWA want to enable and encourage, whether through formal teaching or over lunch at a local gathering.
However, we acknowledge that issues around quality and justice within training programmes remain prevalent and must be acknowledged. These issues vary from unaffordable course fees, to exploitative expectations of labour, to mouldy caravans. Furthermore, due to a lack of time, skills and experience, trainers often find it difficult to understand and meet the needs of trainees; especially those who have been marginalised by aspects of their identity, their caring responsibilities, or neurodivergence.
In particular, the debate around the place for unpaid on-farm traineeships continues, with some arguing that traineeships are essentially educational programmes and should therefore be unpaid, and others arguing the labour contribution of trainees warrants the same degree of financial reward as formal employees. Under the traineeship model, which is particularly prevalent in horticulture, a learner trains through working on a farm and is not paid a wage, instead usually receiving accommodation and a stipend (for example around £50 a week). This arrangement is inaccessible to many aspiring trainees, who cannot survive or support dependents without a proper wage, or for multiple reasons are unable to live in basic and precarious accommodation. Many such opportunities are located within white-dominated rural spaces, which aren’t always welcoming or safe for BPOC (Black people and People of Colour) landworkers. Moreover, the quality of training received can be highly variable, with some trainees essentially being used as low-paid workers. The uncontracted nature of most traineeships leaves the trainee in a vulnerable position and with no recourse to support or advice
Equally, we know from many of our members who deliver training, this model remains the only viable means through which to deliver training at all. In the context of a food and system dominated by supermarkets and large corporations who drive down prices and rely on cheap labour l, and with many small businesses ineligible for farming subsidies, margins are often tight. This makes it extremely difficult for trainers or host farms to afford a wage for someone who is primarily there to learn, who requires and deserves mentoring and support, and who cannot be expected to work as effectively as their trained co-workers. Many of our members who are engaged in delivering training want to provide more support to their trainees, to offer longer training opportunities and more financial reward/support, but they cannot afford to do so. It’s unlikely that they’re taking home a decent paycheque themselves.
In summary, The Landworkers’ Alliance acknowledges that in the context of an unjust food system, traineeships can be a problematic model for both learner and trainer. We are therefore working hard to improve the political landscape and provision of support for landworkers to help us transition to a system where all workers – trainees or otherwise – can be paid a fair wage for their labour. Equally, we recognise that traineeships are currently an important entry route for many landworkers. We therefore see ourselves – as a union representing the interests of landworkers – as having a key role to play in helping members who offer training to deliver quality training whilst also supporting the wellbeing and learning experience of learners and enabling learners to access mutual support from across the wider movement.
Just as we value a diversity of ways to develop fertility or manage a woodland, we think that supporting a diversity of training pathways is vital to ensure that there are options that meet the needs of different learners and trainers. We see traineeships as one such pathway, but one that needs to be complemented by others.
Ways that we are currently supporting LWA members to deliver effective traineeships and also developing alternatives are:
- Sharing a curriculum we recommend for use by trainers and learners in horticulture, available here in English and here in Gymraeg
- Connecting trainers for peer to peer support – to join this network please email Rhian (England and Wales) Rhian.williams@staging.landworkersalliance.org.uk or Clem (Scotland) clem.sandison@staging.landworkersalliance.org.uk
- Engaging with new entrant landworkers to share relevant resources and opportunities and to invite input to our work around advocacy and policy
- Working with partners to develop and roll out accredited training options, and investigating options for sustainable funding of these courses in each national context
- Mapping career pathways for different sectors, to demystify these for new entrants.
- Developing a program of “train the trainer” sessions to equip LWA members with the skills to be effective trainers
- Being involved in the pilot of DEFRA ‘s New Entrant Support Scheme
- Campaigning for policies that support the economic viability of agroecological farms so that they are then able to pay fair wages
If you have suggestions for further developments that the LWA could be working on with regard to traineeships, contact Rhian: rhian.williams@staging.landworkersalliance.org.uk.
We are keen to facilitate dialogue between different organisations leading work in this area, representing both trainers and learners. Within our own membership there are both those who deliver training as well as those who receive it, and we strive to provide the support that each group needs in order to grow our movement and to do so in line with its principles of equity, justice and care.
Image from Cymru Traineeship Programme visit to Big Meadow CSA
