CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ALLIED TRADES AND PROFESSIONS
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HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT

The supply of equipment and related services (installation, technical support, service and maintenance) in the British pig sector is relatively small and quite specialist. Most people know each other and this small-world characteristic means that the sector as a whole can be understood and identified easily with. Predominantly it is a friendly place to work with a very good chance of high job satisfaction. The problem is that if you don't live in a pig production area you will have to be prepared to travel and put in long hours.

Here are some examples of career opportunities, provided by Hugh Crabtree, managing director of Farmex, which makes temperature control, alarm and monitoring equipment for agriculture.

Pig building ventilation and heating control system technical sales
Education to A-level, willingness to learn, good communications skills, ability to fit in with customer schedules.

Product development
Degree in electronics, computer science or engineering, willingness to learn, good communication skills, ability to be part of a team.

Electronic manufacturing / printed circuit board assembly
Education to GCSE level, good manual skills, willingness to learn and fit in with production team

A career in sales of equipment could result from experience in other sectors such as genetics, nutrition or pharmaceuticals. This experience might lead to opportunities to set up your own business – particularly in information and communications technology related services. The new field of precision livestock farming or smart livestock farming is just beginning to open up in Britain and in the pig industry particularly there are exciting job prospects beginning to emerge. Anyone with an interest in agriculture, farming, food production, the environment, animal health and welfare, the internet, information technologies, engineering, problem solving could satisfy their aspirations by getting involved with the pig sector's growing attention to the use of information and related technologies.