Based at Mattishall, near Dereham, a team at Poultec Training welcome the first dozen young poultry apprentices, reports Eastern Daily Press.

The Poultec tutor, Kieron Long, discussed management of the poultry house environment, including ventilation, litter management and lighting.

In future monthly seminars, industry experts will include vets to vaccine suppliers and nutritionists.

The students included Liam Austin, Myles Jenner, Luke Gladden, of Bernard Matthews; Kirsty Fuller and Bradley Cumbers, of Joice & Hill; Johnny Briggs and Mark Welton, of Crown Chicken; Reece Goddard and Aaron Goddard, of Hook2Sisters; Kevan Dunne, of Uphouse Farm; Harry Ramsbottom, of FS Dann & Son and Scott Thrower, of P.D. Hook. Banham Poultry and 2Sisters Agriculture are also supporting the project.

Poultec’s associate director, Nathan Raines, said: “This has been a really positive start for the programme with a healthy number of keen young people attending this first session. We expect numbers to grow steadily on a monthly basis and the project is also helping local businesses to recruit new apprentices’.

The regional academy is a pilot project with Poultec planning to replicate the scheme in other geographical areas around England.

Mr Raines added: “The main aim of this scheme is to encourage more young people into the poultry industry and to open their eyes to the huge career opportunities this industry can offer.

“There is currently a significant need with in the Poultry Sector to recruit and train the farm managers of the future and schemes like this apprenticeship academy will help to achieve this.”