1Hello everyone.
2My name's Megan Baker
3and I'm a recruitment consultant at AVT Recruitment specialists.
4Now, our company specialises in positions that involve working in the agriculture and horticulture sectors,
5so that's fresh food production, garden and park maintenance and so on.
6And these sectors do provide some very special career opportunities.
7For a start, they often offer opportunities for those who don't want to be stuck with a 40-hour week,
8but need to juggle work with other responsibilities such as child care -
9and this is very important for many of our recruits.
10Some people like working in a rural setting,
11surrounded by plants and trees instead of buildings,
12although we can't guarantee that.
13But there are certainly health benefits,
14especially in jobs where you're not sitting all day looking at a screen -
15a big plus for many people.
16Salaries can sometimes be good too,
17although there's a lot of variety here.
18And you may have the opportunity in some types of jobs for travel overseas,
19although that obviously depends on the job,
20and not everyone is keen to do it.
21Of course, working outdoors does have its challenges.
22It's fine in summer, but can be extremely unpleasant when it's cold and windy.
23You may need to be pretty fit for some jobs,
24though with modern technology that's not as important as it once was.
25And standards of health and safety are much higher now than they used to be,
26so there are fewer work-related accidents.
27But if you like a lively city environment surrounded by lots of people,
28these jobs are probably not for you -
29they're often in pretty remote areas.
30And some people worry about finding a suitable place to live,
31but in our experience, this usually turns out fine.
32Now let me tell you about some of the exciting jobs that we have on our books right now.
33One is for a fresh food commercial manager.
34Our client here is a very large fresh food producer supplying a range of top supermarkets.
35They operate in a very fast-paced environment with low profit margins -
36the staff there work hard,
37but they play hard as well,
38so if you've a sociable personality this may be for you.
39We have an exciting post as an agronomist advising farmers on issues such as crop nutrition,
40protection against pests,
41and the latest legislation on farming and agricultural practices.
42There are good opportunities for the right person to quickly make their way up the career ladder,
43but a deep knowledge of the agricultural sector is expected of applicants.
44A leading supermarket is looking for a fresh produce buyer
45who is available for a 12-month maternity cover contract.
46You need to have experience in administration,
47planning and buying in the fresh produce industry,
48and in return will receive a very competitive salary.
49We've also received a request for a sales manager for a chain of garden centres.
50You will be visiting centres in the region
51to ensure their high levels of customer service are maintained.
52This post is only suitable for someone who is prepared to live in the region.
53There is also a vacancy for a tree technician to carry out tree cutting,
54forestry and conservation work.
55Candidates must have a clean driving licence
56and have training in safety procedures.
57A year's experience would be preferred
58but the company might be prepared to consider someone who has just completed an appropriate training course.
59Finally, we have a position for a farm worker.
60This will involve a wide range of farm duties
61including crop sowing and harvesting,
62machine maintenance and animal care.
63Perks of the job include the possibility of renting a small cottage on the estate,
64and the chance to earn a competitive salary.
65A driving licence and tractor driving experience are essential.