• Swindon & Wiltshire Education, training and skills
• Thursday October 2 2025

Clarkson’s Farm credited for rise in young people wanting to farm

Jeremy Clarkson is being credited for a 60 per cent rise in young people wanting to become farmers.

Applications to study agriculture at Wiltshire College & University Centre are up 62 per cent this year.

Amazon Prime’s Clarkson’s Farm – winner of the 2025 National Television Award for Factual Entertainment – is being credited with helping raise the profile of modern farming.

The College’s head of faculty for land-based, Kersty Ellis-Drew, said several factors are encouraging more people to consider a future in agriculture.

“I think there’s a number of things – we’re all aware of food security now and where our food is coming from, but also the increased media interest – Clarkson’s Farm has done quite a lot to let people know what the industry is all about and I think that has sparked some interest,” said Kersty.

At the College’s Lackham campus, the rise in applications reflects wider interest in farming, agri-tech and sustainability careers, which are becoming increasingly visible to younger people.

George Smith, 17, from Malmesbury – winner of the 2025 Student of the Year Award for agriculture and land-based – studied Level 3 Agriculture at Lackham.

He said: “Food, sustainability and tech are moving fast in farming. That’s why I chose agriculture here – there are so many ways to make a difference.”

“I wanted something practical with real routes into work. Studying Agriculture at Lackham has given me the skills and confidence to take the next step.”

Students at Wiltshire College & University Centre are also achieving excellent results with 90 per cent of last year’s Level 3 agriculture students passing and over half achieving a distinction – showing they are well-equipped for their next step.

The College will be welcoming future students and their families to Lackham this weekend (October 4) for an Open Event, where visitors can explore the working farm, specialist facilities and hear more about the wide range of land-based courses on offer.