Although agriculture has always been a part of Jack Sharmans life, he spent much of his upbringing based within different cities.
But, with his grandma and father pursuing careers with Massey Ferguson and then latterly AGCO after its acquisition, Jack has followed a similar suit and is now a third generational agricultural employee with the business. When deciding which career path to choose after completing his university degree, Jack knew agriculture was the most logical decision to make.
Agriculture is a growing industry that has competitive salaries and a large variety of roles to choose from, he said.
As the worlds population rises, agriculture professionals will play an increasingly important part in the worlds food supply; having such a broad global responsibility attached to my career choice was a significant draw for me.
As an aftersales digital marketing specialist, Jack is based within the larger digital marketing team the business After Parts division out of the UK Abbey Park offices.
Responsibilities are varied and include project meetings, overseeing checks on targeted vehicles and self-propelled machines, helping farmers work smarter by optimising their machines and business and focusing on various safety mechanisms.
Training is also a key part of Jacks remit and there is always a requirement for continuous training. We have workshops with various experts to help develop my skills and understanding in areas such as salesforce, data studio, Facebook business manager and so on, he says.
Recently, I was offered the option to acquire a professional diploma in digital marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, which is a fantastic opportunity to improve my performance in my role.
With professional development so prominent, Jack is keen to dispel some of the biggest misconceptions about farming to those from a non-farming background.
One of the most widespread agricultural misconceptions is that todays farmers live in the past. Individuals consider agriculture to be archaic, primitive, and slow, when in truth, it is the reverse. Agriculture is a crucial hub for technological advancements and a very fast-paced industry and I wish I had known that sooner.
Technology
Looking to the future and Jack has multiple ambitions he wants to achieve within the next five years, including plans to become a chartered marketer, seeking senior management mentoring to gain leadership experience, and expanding international knowledge by relocating to offices in Europe or North America.
The future of agriculture lies very much with its smart technology and we frequently promote them to our dealer network. As a result, we get to observe first-hand the benefits they provide to the farmers which result in more profitable, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly practises for farmers and their business partners.
