Reading Student Joins Buitelaar As Part Of Twelve Month Placement

With restrictions easing, we are finally starting to get back into the swing of a ‘more normal’ routine. In doing so, we’ve had a packed month hosting our first exclusive Open Days; inviting both the NFU and DEFRA to our Development Farm in Somerset. The launch of our first Graduate Scheme saw us welcome our first fresh-faced University Grads, introducing them to all business areas, ranging from working with livestock, right through to our Meat Sales & Pet Food divisions.

We are also thrilled to welcome one of our new university placement student Ellie Taylor, from Reading University. Ellie is studying Agricultural Business Management and is joining us for 12 months as our Marketing Assistant – read her experience so far below.

‘As part of my placement year, I have joined the Buitelaar Group as Marketing Assistant and so far, it has been fantastic.

During my induction, I spent two days at the Collection Centres where I got to grips with how the team weigh and grade the calves, organising them into consistent batches. One thing that struck me straight away is how well the calves were handled – every single calf was treated with upmost care and respect.

I must say that I was thrown into the deep end at times, particularly when I had to help the office staff organise passports and assist with the unloading and loading of calves – it was a long day, but I loved every minute of it!

The Collection Centre team were really supportive and showed me the ropes; I was really impressed with how they communicate with one another; how professional they are and how hard they all work – you can really tell everyone loves their jobs.

I had a great opportunity to shadow several Calf Buyers out on farm visits - it was clear from the off, how strong their relationships were with the farmers. I also thoroughly enjoyed visiting current rearers, potential suppliers and chatting to the different farmers that we work with; I was particularly interested in the ventilation and nutrition strategies that were adopted on farm too and how the Tech Team had helped implement these. It was great to get out and about with the team!

On the second week of my induction, I headed down to Somerset to visit the Wanstrow Collection Centre and the Development Farm. I really got my teeth into helping with TB testing, recording the information alongside the vet, as well as handling the calves and dehorning. I also assisted with routine jobs such as filling up creep feeders, checking the health of the calves and cleaning.

Gabby Emery, Business Development Manager (Livestock) gave me a farm tour explaining the different sheds, nutrition and a timeline regarding farming practices including castration, TB testing, weighing, and vaccinating. I was also finally able to see both the mobile and permanent High Health Units in person, which have seen vast improvements in animal health and growth - It was great to see for myself, the journey and development of these buildings.

The second week also saw me head to an event on farm with the Buitelaar team, where I got to work alongside some of the Livestock team. It was so useful to listen and learn from them and hear firsthand about the supply chain; from rearing to finishing and about the different schemes that Buitelaar offer. Coming from an agricultural background myself, it was great to learn more about the schemes available and how each one is tailored to each farm too.

Alongside learning about the Group, I took on the task of collecting on farm content for our social media platforms and for the website. This was a great introduction into my role as a Marketing Assistant and encouraged me to get stuck in with the team and our farmers.

My induction flew by, but I have learnt so much within my first two weeks. Feeling completely settled in, I’m now as ready as ever to start my new role within the Marketing team.

The overall induction has been useful and has helped enormously, I’m really looking forward to being part of the Buitelaar family and seeing where this role will take me in the next 12 months.’

As an industry, we believe that it’s our responsibility to support young people and new entrants into agriculture. At Buitelaar we’re fully supportive of all students and graduates, which is why we offer a variety of different work experience, placements and now a graduate scheme throughout all areas of the business.

Find out more about our career opportunities here.