Student Worker Education Programme

• Education and training
• Work practice linked to education and training
• UK agricultural and horticultural qualifications

• Students of agriculture and horticulture working to at least a level 3 qualification
• Students are selected by their Home University or College
• Students who wish to obtain UK recognised qualifications
• Students whose university or college agrees to training in the United Kingdom for their professional practice.
• Students must apply through their universities and not as individuals. This especially applies to students who wish to complete the whole 104 weeks entitlement to the programme and come for a second year. If this does not meet the needs of the university they cannot come on the course.

• Minimum 12 weeks. Minimum of 480 hours of study
• Maximum 104 weeks
• Training periods usually will be 20-30 weeks
• Training periods as agreed with home university or college
• Students may train with more than one employer and for more than one season as agreed by their home university or college and Concordia

This document is at the front of the student handbook which they should bring with them from their own university.

• Part 1 outlines the course they are following and also states in any learning support needs
• Part 2 is completed during induction and states what practical training is to be given.
• Part 2 also lists the completion dates as they occur for all the elements of the programme

Also attached to the learning plan in the student handbook is the university or college letter confirming the learning plan together with the description of assignments and work diaries to be completed during programme stated by the home university.

• Linked on and off job training with opportunity for development of skills and knowledge.

• Must be Concordia registered agricultural or horticultural businesses
• Training should be as broad and varied as possible
• Topics covered include - Land management - Crop husbandry - Crop management - Crop protection - Quality assurance - Harvesting, grading and packing - Environmental awareness - Efficient work practice - Health and safety
• Options could include - Pack house work and quality assurance activity - Farm mechanisation

Seminars on:
- Health and safety
- UK fresh fruit and vegetable industry
- Environmental awareness

These seminars are organised by Concordia using tutors from land based colleges. The dates and timing of the seminars are agreed with the Concordia Education Manager.

English Language Teaching

This is at least 20 hours of taught English plus at least another 10 hours of support. The English is to a laid down syllabus and is aimed at helping students to understand the technology involved in Agriculture and Horticulture and to aid them in their end exams.

From a range of topics as agreed with student and Concordia to include: NVQ level 3 Production Horticulture.

Learning outcome after the first 26 weeks is the "United Kingdom Certificate in Agriculture and Horticulture" which includes UK qualifications recognised by City and Guilds of London Institute and National Proficiency Test Council. This certificate is awarded to candidates who achieve success in the following:

a) Examination on knowledge and understanding of UK agriculture and horticulture and environmental awareness

b) Record of Achievement in practical agricultural and horticultural skill and interpersonal skills

This assessment is undertaken at the work place at the end of the training period using pro-forma which relates to the National Occupational Standards in the sector where the student has been trained. The pro- forma are available on the employers section of the Concordia web site. These proforma should be completed and discussed with the student and returned to Concordia within 2 weeks of the student completing.

c) Foundation Certificate in Health and Safety.

This should be completed by the student following induction, and marked for accuracy by the employer. Where a student fails to answer questions on this correctly the induction must be repeated. A copy of the completed test should be sent to Concordia.

• A work diary may be kept for each work placement as directed by the students own university.
• A report on a work-based project set by the Home University A summary should be written in English and signed by the employer.

• £79 before course starts to include membership privileges of Concordia Club.
• £25 per week for duration of course. This fee is collected on behalf of Concordia by the employer. Employers will be invoiced monthly for this fee. Students will sign a letter to state that they agree to this fee being deducted from their wages.
• Fees include exam fees and all tuition and assessment costs. A learning pack is included in this fee. This learning pack will be sent to the employer to distribute to students when they arrive. The leaning pack is to help student in their research for their assignments and to prepare for their examinations

After seeking to address the problems contact Concordia and discuss the options. This may involve disciplinary action or even in the case of a conflict of personality a change of placement. The Home University will be involved.

Most employers will be able to identify times when work is less hectic during which formal training sessions will be planned. In the event of poor weather or a crop being delayed, the employer can contact the trainer and bring forward planned training.

There is no minimum number but for the formal training sessions students may be asked to work with others from neighbouring farms to make groups of approximately 12 people.

Health and safety training must occur during paid time. Other classroom based lessons will normally be in student's own time.

The programme is demanding and students will find the combination of work based learning and work very hard. However students need to plan time to study. All students should have at least one day off per week and should not normally work more than 60 hours. It is recommended that students on the programme work an average of no more than 50 hours per week.

The English language lessons are for 20 hours as classroom sessions but with additional time for support. The teacher will be employed by Concordia but classes will be arranged with the employer to occur at suitable times. Lessons will be focussed on the English needed to pass the exam and agricultural and horticultural technology.

The farm will provide some computer facility but students will have to share. It is a great help to students if they can purchase a lap top especially after they have earned some money to enable this.

Students would undertake seminars with those from another grower. The downside of this is that students might have to go off farm and the timing will possibly not suit every one.

Students will need to make notes during seminars. Copies of the seminar information will be given to them. The students learning packs include more detailed information

Employers are expected to supply some computer facility to at least enable shared computers but in addition most growers will provide wire less free facility

In this first year of the programme the mentor cannot be another student but in later years students who are studying for more than one year on the programme can be mentors if they are working in positions of responsibility for example as team leaders.

Concordia will appoint trainers who will contact the employer and make arrangements directly with that placement for delivery of training.

Concordia. But good English teachers who are already used by growers are most welcome to apply to Concordia. In practice Concordia has already asked for details of these teachers and will be in contact with them to offer appointments.

How do we account for this? Students need to record the training they are given in their work diaries. These diaries may be viewed by Concordia Field Officers and also as part of Quality Assurance by Plumpton College external moderator.

Part of the role of the mentor is to check this.

Where students find difficulty in understanding information they should be talking to their mentor and if necessary informing their university. It may be necessary to repeat training and use more experienced people to demonstrate what is required.

Students should have at least intermediate English. Health and safety material may need to be translated. Students may need to use a translator to help with the post induction questionnaire. Students are selected for the programme that are assessed as having intermediate English language skills but this may vary from university to university. A glossary of technical terms is available on the web site translated into Russian. All course materials and the end exam is in English and the English language teaching is geared to helping them to understand this information.

If farmers are already following excellent practice the additional time is limited. Farmers selected as suitable placements for SWEP are already amongst those who dedicate considerable effort and time to the development of staff and include seasonal staff in their staff development policies. The major change for many growers will be to change work practices so that students are not stuck on one job for the whole season. However by rotating tasks and explaining the reasons why things are done it is likely that student motivation will be maintained for the whole season and early leavers will be reduced. Additional administrative tasks are:

• Collecting course fees and forwarding to Concordia
• Liaising with Concordia and trainers to facilitate seminars, English lessons and exams.
• Completion of records of achievement
• Checking that mentors understand their role and monitoring.