Tractor driver apprenticeships

Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c. > Tractor Driver (Agriculture)

Environment and land | Transport

Tractor driver apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

a college course

applying directly

College

You could do a Level 2 Award in Tractor Driving and Related Occupations course at an agricultural college. You could also do a Level 2 Award in Safe Working in Agriculture and Production Horticulture.

You'll usually need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a Level 2 course.

Direct Application

There are no set entry requirements if you want to apply directly but experience in farming or dairying could be useful. A knowledge of basic mechanics might also be helpful. You may need a plant card to operate some machinery.

Tractor driver apprenticeships - what it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to work on your own
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
physical skills like movement, coordination and dexterity
knowledge of food production methods
concentration skills
analytical thinking skills
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Tractor driver apprenticeships - what you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

You could:

discuss work schedules with the farm manager
carry out equipment and machinery checks
input instructions into the cab’s control panels
plough fields and sow seeds
spray crops with fertilisers and pesticides
harvest vegetable, cereal and non-food crops
use baling machines to bind crops and hay ready for storage
maintain hedges and roadside verges with tractor cutting attachments
carry out basic maintenance and repairs

Working environment

You could work on a farm. Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers, cramped, noisy, physically demanding and dusty. You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

Career path and progression - Tractor driver apprenticeships

You can take further training to operate a wider range of machinery, which will increase your job prospects. There are opportunities to work as a tractor driver in other sectors, for example construction or in local government working in the maintenance of outdoor spaces. With experience, you could become a supervisor, an agricultural contractor, machinery engineer or farm manager.

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Considering an Apprenticeship?

There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

Paid Training
Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!
Range of career opportunities
There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!
Earn & learn
As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday and sick pay.
Great career prospects
Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!
Learn on the job
There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job - whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables or building engines!

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