Frontier Agriculture is the industry partner of Reignite, a new return-to-work programme for women, launching in September and delivered by management training provider for the food industry, MDS.

Seeking to address the industry challenges often faced by women returning to professional roles, Frontier’s involvement in Reignite forms part of the business’ ambition to unlock more experienced talent, support the development of new skills, encourage fairer representation and strengthen the sector’s future workforce.

The eight-week programme from MDS is aimed at women who are looking to get back into work after taking a career break and will aim to establish a scalable and practical route into professional roles across the agricultural, food and fresh produce sectors.

Frontier HR director, Stuart Benham, explains, “Frontier’s support of the Reignite programme reinforces our commitment to building a more inclusive and diverse industry. By getting behind initiatives that address critical skills shortages and underrepresented talent, we’re not only supporting individual career progression but also the long-term sustainability of our industry.

“We believe we have a responsibility to help create meaningful, accessible pathways that enable skilled women to return to work, thrive and build rewarding, long‑term careers, driving positive outcomes for everyone involved.”

Initially starting as a pilot in the East of England and surrounding areas, MDS will recruit six women for the first cohort which will commence on 7th September, with workplace shadowing placements offered by Frontier.

Opportunities will be open to women in the region who have taken career breaks, often due to parenting or caregiving responsibilities, or who may have taken a step back from employment after relocating or because of health issues. The programme will seek to offer direct support and mentorship to ensure candidates can build their confidence and experience, even if they are not actively job-seeking but want to build their skillset for when the time comes.

Kirsty Barden, head of careers and development at MDS, said: "There is a huge pool of talented, experienced women whose careers have been paused rather than ended. Too often, confidence - not capability - is the biggest barrier to returning to work. Reignite is about helping women recognise the value of their experience and giving them the support, skills and workplace exposure needed to take their next step with confidence.

"We are excited to launch this pilot programme and work with Frontier to create meaningful opportunities for women looking to reignite their careers."

Applications for the MDS Reignite programme are now open and will close on 7th August. MDS is encouraging women across the East of England and surrounding areas who are considering a return to work to apply.

For more information and application details, visit www.mds-ltd.co.uk.

Driving positive change in the industry

Although in recent years the agricultural sector has made great strides to develop a more inclusive culture that recognises the valuable contribution of women at all professional levels, many still find that systemic barriers remain.

Frontier already advocates for greater inclusivity and representation in agriculture through its own commitments and support of industry initiatives campaigning for gender equality.

The launch of the MDS programme comes after Frontier’s direct partnership and support of the Farmers Weekly Level the Field campaign, an industry-wide initiative which also led the development of a gender diversity charter. The campaign highlighted the importance of the issue in agriculture, outlining key principles that businesses and employers should commit to in order to drive greater awareness, inclusivity and positive change.

Similarly, Frontier’s own well-established employee-led Women’s Network and Women’s Development Programme further demonstrate the business’ ongoing commitment to supporting inclusivity and representation. Both provide opportunities for women to increase their professional networks, share stories and realise opportunities for professional development, as well as offer tools and training to help overcome the challenges often experienced in the industry. The business is also making consistent positive progress in closing its gender pay gap.