Are you interested in working in a diverse industry where you could be involved in the production of food products ranging from milk to cheese, and from butter to yoghurt? Working in agriculture could give you the opportunity to work in the dairy industry.

The dairy industry in the UK is a vast and important industry. The nutritious pint of milk is the end product of an operation carried out by thousands of people with a variety of skills.

The industry is split into 4 main areas:

• Milk production on farms

• Processing of milk used for liquid consumption

• Development and manufacture of products such as cheese, butter, yoghurt and desserts

• Delivery to homes and shops through a wholesale and retail network.

New technology is used at all stages of the industry, and new products are constantly being developed to meet the demands of a challenging and competitive future.

As you might expect from an industry of this size and complexity there is a wide range of career opportunities for people with different skills, qualifications and abilities. These include dairy farming, working in milk processing or manufacture or in retailing milk to the customer; each area relying on people such as technicians, engineers, laboratory and research staff, sales, marketing, administration, finance, management and computer personnel.

The dairy industry offers opportunities for school leavers and graduates of further and higher education alike. There are many ways to enter a career in the dairy industry. If you have no formal qualifications but can demonstrate your enthusiasm for working in this industry, there are opportunities for you.

The following websites have more information on the dairy industry:

National Farmers Union (NFU) - www.nfu.org.uk

The Dairy Training and Development Council - www.dairytraining.org.uk

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) - www.rabdf.co.uk

Milk Development Council (MDC) - www.mdc.org.uk