Agri-TechE partners with MDS to give members access to skilled trainees

Agri-TechE is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with MDS that will connect emerging talent with innovative agri-food businesses. The collaboration will provide MDS trainees with access to Agri-TechE’s Early Career Innovators’ Forum (ECIF), while creating new opportunities for businesses to engage with the next generation of industry leaders and strengthening collaboration across the food, farming and fresh produce sectors.

The partnership allows for Agri-TechE members to host MDS trainees through six-month secondment placements starting in October. By welcoming high-potential trainees into their organisations, businesses can strengthen talent attraction, succession planning and workforce resilience, while bringing fresh perspectives and new ideas into their teams.

Agri-TechE members can host their first trainee secondment without becoming MDS members, providing a simple way to experience the benefits of the programme.

As part of the partnership, MDS trainees will gain access to the ECIF community and events programme, connecting them with leading agri-tech businesses, researchers, investors and innovators. Through specialist events, webinars, farm and industry visits, networking opportunities and the annual ECIF Conference, trainees will build industry knowledge, expand their professional networks and strengthen their leadership skills.

Existing MDS members can become Agri-TechE members, enabling direct access to the latest expertise and innovation across the agri-food sector. Members can stay informed about developments in agri-tech, sustainability, productivity, supply chain innovation, funding, regulation and policy, while building stronger connections with businesses, researchers and innovators across the wider agri-food ecosystem.

The partnership expands opportunities to engage with high-potential MDS trainees placed across a broader range of businesses, supporting talent attraction and succession planning, while strengthening connections across the wider agri-food ecosystem to encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing and business growth.

MDS has been developing future leaders for the food, agriculture and fresh produce sectors for more than 40 years through a structured programme combining professional development with rotational placements across host businesses. This new partnership further strengthens MDS’s commitment to equipping trainees with the skills, networks and industry insight needed to lead in a rapidly evolving sector.

Kirsty Barden, Head of Careers and Development at MDS, said:

“Our trainees thrive when they experience the breadth and pace of innovation taking place across the sector. Access to Agri-TechE’s network and the ECIF community will provide experiences that complement our management and leadership programme and prepare trainees for leadership roles within the food and agriculture industries.”

Kate Brunswick, Strategic Partnerships Director at Agri-TechE, said:

“The future of agriculture depends on innovation and great people. By bringing together Agri-TechE’s network of innovators, researchers, growers and industry leaders with MDS’s proven track record of developing talent, we can help train and inspire the next generation of leaders across farming, agri-tech and the food supply chain. Together, we’ll strengthen connections across the sector, spark fresh thinking, and build the skills needed to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

The first opportunity for Agri-TechE members to host an MDS trainee through a six-month secondment begins in October. Businesses interested in taking part are encouraged to submit potential secondment opportunities by the end of July by emailing kirsty@mds-ltd.co.uk. Expressions of interest should include a brief overview of the business, an outline of the proposed secondment role, and how an MDS trainee could contribute to the organisation and support its objectives.

About MDS

MDS is a management development programme dedicated to developing future leaders for the food, agriculture and fresh produce industries through structured training, professional development and rotational placements with host businesses.