One of the South West’s leading agricultural experts is to join the Association of Colleges (AoC) Governors’ Council, an organisation established to represent a collective voice of further education organisations in the UK.

Jeff Beer, a Governor for The Cornwall College Group and the chair of the Community Council at Bicton College, has been selected as the voice for the land based sector.

Jeff said: “It is a real honour and privilege to be able to fulfil this role and I look forward to being the voice of the land based sector and making sure the excellent work that is being done by my colleagues up and down the country is fully represented. I am passionate about agriculture and I believe that a strong land based sector will be key to the future economy of Britain.”

Jeff, who is a proud Devonian, has previously been Chairman of the Education Committee at the Worshipful Company of Farmers and has also spent time as the Vice President of the Devon Young Farmers Club and has attended the Challenge of Rural Leadership Course; he is now working to shape the future of both Bicton and Duchy College.

His new role will see him attending regular meetings in London, meeting with ministers and helping to shape the future of the further education sector.

Jeff continued: “The range of offer in the land based sector is both diverse and unique. I strongly believe that farming is our history and it’s key to our future and the best way to encourage growth is to educate young people, not just on farming techniques but on all aspects of the business; marketing, managing budgets and innovation.”

The AoC is a not-for-profit membership organisation set up in 1996 by colleges to act as their collective voice. Their membership is made up of 317 further education, sixth form, tertiary and specialist colleges across the UK.

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