From Institute for apprenticeships website: More

With over 150,000 businesses, the agriculture and horticulture industries form the vital starting point for both the food and landscaping industries which account for over 14% of the British GDP. As a result they offer exciting and varied careers in the UK and abroad. The industry provides unique opportunities for people to work in a technically advanced and innovative environment. 

Businesses within the industry range from small enterprises through to international organisations. Work in soil based systems involves operating large, technically advanced machinery in the open fields. Working outdoors, means there is variety and challenges to overcome. 

Similarly Crop Technicians working in container based systems may work outside but for many the majority of work will be in controlled environments, which need monitoring and adapting to suit the growth stage/species growing.

As a Crop Technician you will be responsible for optimising crop/plant yields through 

• establishment,
  
• management, 
  
• harvest and 
  
• post-harvest operations, 
  
• while maintaining and improving the surrounding environment. 
  

You will also need to keep up to date with technological advances and new innovations. 

Being a Crop Technician requires self-motivation and the ability to work both independently and as a team player to complete tasks safely and efficiently. Many companies now use automation for a number of routine tasks, which will require technical skills to operate. 

This standard provides the opportunity for individuals to acquire the ‘knowledge’, ‘skills’ and ‘behaviours’ required and follows a ‘core and options’ approach. 

This allows the flexibility to learn core subjects and then specialise in either ‘soil based system’ or ‘containerised systems’.