Tractor heritage, news and features

Apprentice wins national gold

The award is made to just one student each year from all of Britain’s agricultural colleges. James also claimed the Outstanding Achievement Award for Second Year at Brooksby College, Melton Mowbray, and the John Deere Year Two Student of the Year Award.

“Last year I won the John Deere Year One AgTech Student of The Year Award and this year I’ve managed to go even better so I’m delighted and very grateful for the support that I’ve been given throughout my apprenticeship, especially by the management team here at Cornwall Farmers,” says James. 

James comes from a farming background and enjoys nothing better in his spare time than learning the ropes on the selection of old tractors which his family has acquired over the years on their farm just outside Hayle. 

“I’m lucky to have father’s and grandfather’s machines to work on and although they’re a different challenge to the modern, computerised equipment it all helps to build up my experience,” adds James. 

With Cornwall Farmers being the main distributor for John Deere tractors and equipment in the South West, John Deere’s sponsorship of the AgTech Engineering Course provides each Cornwall Farmers student with a very thorough and essential knowledge of all the firm’s machines. This is vital when it comes to responding to calls from farmers whose machinery needs fixing on-site. 

“This course is a mix of theory and practice and having got this far I’m now starting to go out on site with a qualified engineer and I can’t wait until it’s my turn to fix problems on my own,” says James. 

James Marks is based at Cornwall Farmers’ Ludgvan Depot where the organisation’s apprentice engineering scheme comes under the management of Graham Denning, Cornwall Farmers’ Parts and Servicing Manager. 

In addition to congratulating James on his achievements, Graham Denning is ever the realist and looking forward to James joining the ranks of his team of full engineers when he finishes the course in May. “James has been the model student for us and he’ll be a great asset once he becomes a full engineer,” he says. “Quite frankly, the hours required in this job do put off some youngsters, as you do have to be ready to go to a farm at all hours, depending on what’s required. James and the other lads we have here are undaunted by this so we have a really sound team in place to look after the needs of our customers right the way up from Land's End to Truro. And a young team, too!”