A shortage of talent in the agricultural supply sector?

Whether we really believe it or not, there are some very obvious reasons for the shortage of skills in our industry. Agriculture has been ‘imploding’ for some 15 years and the consequences with people and employees are there to see:

The age profile has risen markedly, we estimate from database records that the average age of the supply trade population, in line with that of farmers themselves, is in the middle to higher fifties. Coupled with that, there is still little or no graduate recruitment being organised and the universities and colleges are taking time to ‘tool up’ to the new needs.

The quality individuals with a high skill base and strong motivation are, obviously, busy and fulfilled. They are not reading adverts – as most employers are finding. The overall numbers of these candidates are at an all time low. It can easily be argued that; the ones with ‘get-up-and-go’ have got up and gone!

Attitudes are slow to change in this industry - Many people, and companies, tend to be ‘comfortable’ in what they do.

Too comfortable?

It has always been the case that many other industries (and therefore their high achieving individuals) continually strive for growth, better delivery of customer care and new product development. All traits brought on by a highly competitive environment. The agricultural supply industry is traditionally a pleasant and comfortable place to exist and doesn’t make for that kind of high-energy commercial activity.

We’d say to those employers wanting to recruit – there are some strategies you can adopt to put yourself , maybe, one step ahead of your competitors.

• Don’t wait for candidates to come to you – they won’t. Go out there and find them. Only 15/20% of people read job adverts, the other 80% are too busy and it’s these people you want
• Recruit young people, graduates and the like – train them
• Are you brave enough to look within other industry sectors? There are some, Food, Produce, Horticulture where some of the skills you want may lie. Why not be extra brave? – FMCG industries will be under huge pressure with an economic slow down on the horizon, people will be looking for careers in a newly sexy industry like agriculture!
• Think. Why should those candidates join your company? What can you do for them?
• In some sectors, such as arable, companies will be looking at significantly higher levels of profitability. This will have to be shared amongst employees. Commodity prices have risen across the globe – surprising as it may be to some of us, so have salaries and reward packages. We have become uncompetitive with other industries.

Do not despair – where there is a challenge, there is usually a solution!