ACCORDING to a new survey almost two thirds of workers in the agricultural sector are waiting for redundancy before making a move.

The survey, carried out by professional training provider Learning People, revealed that 58 percent of workers in this sector were holding out for redundancy.

Close to two in three agricultural workers (60 percent) complained of shrinking teams and increasing workloads over the last five years. More than half (54 percent) said they had experienced pay freezes and almost half (46 percent) said redundancies had become commonplace.

In terms of how redundancy money would be used, top priorities amongst those working in agriculture included investing in savings, holidays, home renovations and paying off debts. Courses to retrain also featured highly.

The top ten priorities for how redundancy money would be spent were listed as follows:

1. House renovations

2. Holiday abroad

3. Move house

4. Spend it all on one big purchase (e.g. car)

5. Courses or qualifications to retrain

6. Savings

7. Pay off debts

8. Start own business

9. Go travelling

10. Pension

Mike Appleby, head of global talent community at Learning People, advised those waiting for redundancy, saying: “Ten years on from the financial crisis many employers are still in a cycle of redundancies, especially those adapting to automation.

"If you think redundancy’s coming it can make sense to hold out for a payout, but don’t stand still in the meantime. Update your skills while still in your old job.

“A big barrier is the lack of support and advice available for people who want to make a career change. Most people approach this by googling but that can often lead to further confusion. People end up on job adverts which show their experience doesn’t fit the bill, regardless of their transferable skills.

"Instead, find networking opportunities and talk to people in a career you’re interested in. Understand what you’re passionate about, what opportunities are local to you and engage organisations that suit, rather than seek out exact roles. This will help identify what training is needed to make the jump.”

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