John Deere training has helped 38 young apprentices graduate from John Deere’s Ag Tech, Turf Tech and Parts Tech advanced apprenticeship programmes.
The apprenticeships involve students being trained in engineering, electronics, hydraulics, diagnostics, communication skills, computing, sales, and marketing. Ag Tech and Turf Tech candidates’ study towards the land-based service engineering technician (level 3) qualification, while Parts Tech individuals complete a Retailer Apprenticeship Standard (level 2).
The class of 38 apprentices passed the national scheme provided by ProVQ, and were recognised at a special event held at the Crowne Plaza, Nottingham.
John Deere dealer Ben Burgess saw the success for two of its staff, as James Skipper from Beeston in Norfolk won the Ag/Turf Tech Apprentice of the Year for 2021, while Madeleine Green, from the company’s Oakham site in Rutland, won the Parts Tech award.
James Haslam, John Deere’s apprentice centre manager, presented the two winners with new Apple iPads as their prize. While Ag/Turf Tech apprentices Ciahran Quick, from Shefford Woodlands dealership in Berkshire, and Henry Atkins, from Midhurst in West Sussex, collected their runner up prizes of a certificate and £250 worth of high street vouchers.
John Deere branch training manager Allan Cochran said: “Our apprenticeship programme has been running for nearly three decades and was created because we saw the trend of fewer people coming into the industry. We needed to take steps to ensure that there was new talent to fill our business and dealer network.”
James Skipper from Ben Burgess in Beeston won the Ag/Turf Apprentice of the Year, presented by John Deere Training Centre Manager Allan Cochran 
Madeleine Green from the company’s Oakham site in Rutland won the Parts Tech award, presented by John Deere Training Centre Manager Allan Cochran
“That work is as relevant today as it was then. To see these fantastic individuals graduating from their courses and taking the next big step in their careers is incredibly rewarding.”
The apprentice programmes at John Deere are already filling up, with 61 Ag Tech and Turf Tech technicians so far signed up for their three-year course, as well as six Parts Tech apprentices who will study for two years.
New students can enrol every year; apprentices need to be residents in the UK, employed by a John Deere dealer and aged 16 or over. The standard programmes include on-the-job training and assessment as well as up to eight weeks each year at the John Deere Apprentice Training Centre. Further details can be found at http://apprenticeshipfinder.co.uk/john-deere.