Rebecca Rainnie tells Farmers Guardian how she got started in the sector and why you do not have to be a farmer to make a difference in agriculture.
School: Agriculture has been a big part of my life. I found school tough though, especially when it came to making career choices.
I knew I wanted to do something related to the agricultural industry, but my careers adviser gave me no advice on possible career paths in the sector.
College: As the end of school approached, I really struggled to see a career path for myself, until I heard an advert on the radio for the Scottish Agricultural College.
I went along to the campus in Aberdeen to find out more and that night applied. I haven’t looked back from there.
I joined Scotland’s Rural College to study rural business management with the aim of completing a higher national diploma, but four years later I graduated with a BA honours degree.
During my studies, I worked for various employers within the sector, including the local vets, auction market and Harbro, which led to me winning the Royal Northern Agricultural Society’s award for the best student working away from home in 2013/14.
Job: After graduating in July 2015, I was lucky enough to get a full-time position within the marketing department at Harbro and this has led to my career in agricultural marketing and communications.
I joined the team at Jane Craigie Marketing in March 2018 and have gained so much knowledge and experience.
I never saw myself having a career in marketing and communications, especially with English being the worst subject at school for me.
But when you are passionate about something, it makes it easier to share a story – and agriculture is what I am passionate about.
Don’t get me wrong, if I could work outside full-time on the farm, I would do it in a heartbeat, but working with the fantastic team at Jane Craigie Marketing gives me the best of both worlds.
I can still spend my spare time outside, but each day my knowledge for the industry increases with the variety of work we do. From social media to press days, I have done it all.
Courses: I have also had the opportunity to complete several courses and training days, including the British Guild of Agriculture’s John Deere Award.
There are so many paths you can go down in the agricultural sector. It is just about going out there, trying a few and seeing what suits you best.