The Society of Agriculture was represented on the panel at the Royal Agricultural University’s Employer Conference on 14th October 2026, bringing an early-career perspective to discussions about preparing graduates for a changing workplace.
Lydia Gardner MSAg, a member of the Society’s Ambassador Board and Rural Assistant and Farm Consultant at Tayler & Fletcher, joined employers and university staff to consider a central question: “Are land-based employers recruiting for the skills they need tomorrow – or the qualifications they valued yesterday?”
Chaired by RAU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor David Main, the conference followed the university’s Careers Fair, for which 86 employers had registered. The employer list reflected the breadth of opportunities across agriculture and the rural economy, spanning farming, consultancy, property, finance, conservation and equine businesses.