I recently began working with Sworders in Hertfordshire following my undergraduate studies at the University of York. Coming from a non-cognate undergraduate background, this involved enrolling on the MProf Rural Estate and Land Management course at Harper Adams University as an apprentice.
Returning to study seemed the obvious decision, allowing me to pursue a career in the rural sector that I was so fond of. The aim of qualifying as a Chartered Rural Surveyor provides the opportunity to develop a professional career while leading a life centred around rural enterprise and community.
Professional careers in the rural sector can often seem difficult to access, particularly for individuals coming from academically unrelated backgrounds. However, opportunities offered by companies such as Sworders, in collaboration with Harper Adams, help to bridge that gap and offer people the chance to apply skills learnt elsewhere to a new and exciting career.
My first week at Harper Adams set many of the worries I had about my next steps at ease. I was under the impression that being a Politics graduate would leave me at a disadvantage compared with my peers, despite coming from a rural background. However, on arriving at Harper Adams, I couldn’t have been more wrong. From the first session, it became apparent that there was a vast range of backgrounds and undergraduate qualifications among the cohort. Us returning students were soon reintroduced to academic life.
Returning to study after a year away from academia was initially daunting, but it quickly became clear that postgraduate study was immensely different. From the outset, the course brought together passionate, like-minded individuals, which enhanced both the social and academic aspects of the programme.
Although the campus was largely barren, it allowed us to settle into the University without the familiar bustle of “Freshers’ Week”. However, the arrival of graduation mid-way through our first week, gave a sense of what a busy campus environment looks like at Harper Adams.
Whilst the first week at Harper Adams offered an opportunity to reminisce on bygone times at university, it more importantly marked the beginning of a new work-study relationship that I am sure will prove both challenging and rewarding in the coming years.
I am now back at Sworders, excited to continue my professional development in Hertfordshire supported by my colleagues. Though it would not be truthful if I said I wasn’t looking forward to returning to Harper Adams in October to get stuck into the next step of learning to inform my work back home.
William Eldridge | post@sworders.com