New Holland Scottish apprentices – John Connolly from Agricar, Dundonald; Craig Farmer from Bryson Tractors; and Keiran Hay from Fife Tractors – have all successfully completed their City and Guilds National Certificate in Land-based Engineering, a qualification which balances theory with practical tasks including servicing and maintenance on a wide range of equipment.

The scheme commenced in 2017 when New Holland Agriculture and Scotland’s Rural College Oatridge campus joined forces to create a four-year agricultural engineering qualification for Scottish school leavers. The National Certificate in Land-based Engineering allows applicants to begin their apprenticeship by studying for a year to attain the certificate and then undertake a further two years study to gain their SVQ level 2 once employment within the agricultural industry had been secured.

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If a New Holland dealership is willing to employ an applicant without a National Certificate, they can proceed straight to the SVQ. Apprentices then have the potential to progress through further training and experience towards becoming one of New Holland’s Master Technicians.

New Holland's Mark Barnes said: “It’s really great to see the first output from this program which is receiving good reviews from both employers and students alike. Graduation from the program is only the first step in what is potentially a very exciting career path. We look forward to seeing the recent graduates in the New Holland Basildon Training Centre as their knowledge and experience grows on the way to becoming a New Holland Master Technician."