In the last academic year, more than 9,000 students learnt about the many exciting career opportunities available to them in the food and farming sector, according to the latest impact report from LEAF Education, the national education branch of LEAF (Linking Environment and Agriculture).
Carl Edwards, Director of Education and Public Engagement at LEAF Education, explained, “The education of millions of children was severely disrupted by the health crisis between April and July this year. But, despite the lockdown, the LEAF Education team were able to deliver an imaginative and immersive online programme of activity which ensured that thousands of young people of all ages could continue to learn and be inspired by the journey of their food – from farm to fork.
“A key part of this activity was to raise their awareness of the many exciting career paths and opportunities in the agricultural industry. As the consumers and decision makers of the future, helping them understand the important role farming plays in their everyday lives, has never been more important.”
The report shows that LEAF Education successfully engaged with and educated 9,238 students about a career in agriculture and worked with a total of 10,586 children over 24,589 hours. The organisation has also developed a comprehensive range of online resources on Countryside Classroom, specifically for use in the home-setting in response to the first national lockdown, and this resource helped increase website use by 77 per cent.
Photo caption: LEAF Education increased its online resources in response to lockdown
Photo source: LEAF Education