UK HIGHER education figures suggest that more young people are now actively pursuing careers in agriculture.

The latest findings by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services record that graduates in the agricultural sectors saw the biggest increase in numbers in 2017, with certificates in agriculture, horticulture and animal care rising by 117% – while the likes of languages, literature and culture fell by 55%.

Commenting on this trend, SRUC welcomed the growing interest in agricultural education and revealed positive statistics of its own; its intake of full time year one students increased to 126 this year compared with 116 in 2016.

Agriculture team leader at SRUC’s Aberdeen Campus, Caroline Daniels, said: “There’s a general increase in people wanting to study agriculture because there’s high demand from the industry.

"Agriculture is a multidisciplinary subject which combines science with management," said Ms Daniels. "Not only does this prepare our graduates to manage or advise farming businesses – as nutritionists, agronomists and consultants – the range of subjects within the discipline leads to many other careers in animal science, land management and rural enterprises.”