“My first six months with ABN have been an incredible learning experience, combining hands-on farm work with insight into the inner workings of customer support. I’ve gained valuable skills and knowledge that will undoubtedly help shape my future career in the agricultural industry.”
On-farm experience with Lincolnshire Pork
Millie began her placement with three months at Lincolnshire Pork, a large-scale pig farm. This hands-on experience provided her with an understanding of what it takes to maintain high welfare standards and quality on a commercial pig farm.
“During my time on the farm, I worked in the nursery, farrowing, service, and dry sow yards. I was responsible for serving sows, identifying non-feeders, and carrying out general health checks in the nursery. I also handled tasks like administering medications and vaccinations and ensuring accurate record-keeping,” Millie explained.
“I had no prior experience in the pig industry, so this was a steep learning curve, but it gave me invaluable practical knowledge. I now have a much greater appreciation for the work that goes into running a high-performing farm.”
Millie also had the opportunity to take on management tasks, such as moving pigs between different areas and ensuring their ear tags were properly registered.
“It was fascinating to see how each area of the farm connects, and I learned how important it is to maintain attention to detail when it comes to animal welfare and record-keeping.”
Customer support
After completing her on-farm placement, Millie moved to ABN’s customer support team. This role has given her insight into how the business operates and allowed her to develop new skills.
“In customer support, I’ve been responsible for managing feed orders - receiving, amending, or cancelling them via email or phone,” she shared. “Sometimes this includes handling emergency orders, where I need to act quickly to ensure sites don’t run out of feed.”
One of the biggest surprises for Millie was realising how central customer support is to the overall operation of ABN.
“I didn’t expect customer support to be such a central hub. It’s incredible how much communication flows through this team, from mills to customers and vice versa. It’s made me appreciate how vital this role is in keeping everything running smoothly.”
Millie has also gained valuable communication skills during her time in customer support.
“I’ve learned how to write professional emails to both customers and colleagues, and how to have effective conversations with people across the business. These skills will be so useful for my future career.”
Looking ahead
Millie’s first six months at ABN have been a mix of practical farm experience and professional development, providing her with a well-rounded understanding of the industry. She looks forward to building on this during the remainder of her placement.