RECRUITING EX-FORCES INTO DEALERSHIPS

Service Dealer are delighted to confirm Jeremy Gibbs, founder of Forces Farming, as another expert speaker for November's Conference.

Forces Farming is an organisation established to support the transition and resettlement of ex service personnel and veterans into agriculture, engineering and other areas of the agricultural industry.  

Jeremy says he has spent his life in agriculture and most of this in agricultural engineering. Following on from a childhood of growing up on farms and working in the industry he then spent five years in higher education before working for John Deere for almost ten years (seven of these were in Germany working and visiting countries around the world). Widening horizons and learning about the industry has given Jeremy a great insight into the ‘people' side of the job. 

Jeremy decided to return to the UK and work back in ‘frontline farming’ for a few years before starting Forces Farming. Originally an idea to help guide people into the industry, Forces Farming now works with the industry to create career paths for service leavers and 'non ag new entrants' looking at changing careers.

A partnership with AGCO was launched in February 2022 to create a specific career path for people leaving the armed forces.

“Having a specific career path that works with veterans and service leavers makes a huge difference to the way we support new entrants as we recognise their existing skills and qualifications,” said Jeremy. "This kind of focussed support is a new way of recruiting and retaining engineers in the industry."