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Breaking Barriers Scholarship returns to Oxford Farming Conference

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) has announced that its Breaking Barriers Scholarship, launched last year, will run for a second time in 2022.

The scholarship,which will support two individuals to attend the Conference next January as part of the 2022 Scholars’ Programme, aims to support diversity and inclusion within the agricultural industry. It offers candidates from diverse backgrounds, geographies and academic experiences, or who come from outside of the agri-food sector but are keen to enter it, the opportunity to participate in this prestigious programme.

CHAP International Business Development Manager, Dr Jenna Ross, is also an OFC Director and is chairing this year’s OFC Scholars’ Programme. She said “I am thrilled that the Breaking Barriers Scholarship will be returning to the Oxford Farming Conference 2022. This scholarship provides an amazing opportunity for enthusiastic and passionate young individuals, no matter their background or experience, to attend the conference.

“This year is particularly exciting as we are launching a new upskilling element to the programme, which complements the peer-to-peer networking.  I firmly believe that the new and exciting changes to the January 2022 Scholars’ Programme provide an excellent opportunity for Scholars to experience the UK’s leading agricultural conference while gaining valuable skills.”

Candidates do not need any previous qualifications or to be working in the industry. They should be aged between 22 and 30 years of age and have not previously attended the conference. The main requirement is for candidates to be passionate about food production.

Over the past nine years, the OFC Scholars’ Programme has supported more than 400 scholars, through networking, workshops, and events.

Harriet Wilson, Agriculture Manager at McDonald’s UK & Ireland, which sponsors the programme, said:

“We firmly believe that diversity and inclusion is absolutely paramount, which is why we launched the Breaking Barriers Scholarship last year.

“Following the positive response, we’re delighted to announce the return of it in 2022, and provide further opportunities for candidates from non-agri and diverse backgrounds to attend the conference.”

The Oxford Farming Conference Scholars’ Programme will embrace a hybrid model for 2022 with the opportunity to attend the live conference in January 2022, as well as access a series of exclusive upskilling webinars.

Applicants are asked to submit a 30 second video of why they should be chosen for this prestigious scholarship. Application deadline for the Breaking Barriers Scholarship is the 17th September 2021.

For more details and to submit an application go to: Breaking Barriers.

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