Emma Steel

I was brought up on a mixed livestock farm in East Yorkshire. After studying Agriculture at Newcastle University, I moved down to Warwickshire for my first ‘proper job’ at AHDB in the beef & sheep genetics sector. I did that for 3 years before taking a secondment into the Knowledge Exchange team at AHDB, being the point of contact for beef & sheep producers between Lincolnshire and Herefordshire. A year secondment, turned into 2 and then I got invited to stay! I’ve now been in the role 5 years and enjoy the variety my role brings – no two days are the same.

Why did you decide to join the program?

I love my job and my team, but I was looking for a new challenge when I came across Helen and Cultivate at an industry networking event. Being mentored sounded like a great idea and opportunity to push myself. Having been in the same organisation since I graduated and the same role for a while, you can sometimes become a little sheltered from how other organisations and job roles work. This seemed the perfect opportunity to get an alternative opinion on my career and development from people that have a very different experience to me and don’t really know me, so have no bias. 

What do you hope to gain from the experience?

I would love to have some goals and something to aim for, I don’t know where I see myself in 5/10/15 years, so I’m hoping this scheme will help me bring some clarity to that and work out what I do and don’t want from my career. I’d also like some different opinions on how to deal with work challenges – especially when people have different ways of working. I’m a planner who likes a reasonable amount of detail, a fair amount of control and time to think things through, so working with people who don’t work in that way is inevitable, but can be frustrating

I am a dedicated agriculturalist with my first degree in Agricultural Economics and Farm Management from Nigeria.  I am also a recipient of the Commonwealth Scholarship and OFC Scholarship. I am currently pursuing my MSc in Agroforestry and Food Security at Bangor University, Wales. I am driven by the desire to use my knowledge to address global challenges related to food security and sustainability.

I joined Cultivate Success to expand my knowledge and experience while advancing my career in the agri-food and forestry sectors. Through Cultivate Success, I aim to gain valuable experience, develop my career, and pursue my passion for farming. I look forward to leveraging my education, experiences, and opportunities offered by Cultivate Success, to make a meaningful contribution to UK agriculture and beyond.

“I am the Business Manager for Rockscape Energy Ltd and am entering my 4th year within the AD industry. As a teacher in my previous career, I have been able to use my many transferable skills to successfully drive the business forward and manage areas such as: Day to Day Operations, Projects, Recruitment and HR. I believe strongly in leading by example and inspiring women within a male-dominated industry. I am focused on developing and sharing my skills as a woman in a leadership role and also within the AD world.” 

What do you hope to gain from the experience? 

“I hope to focus on helping others through mentoring, and sharing my personal thoughts and experiences, as well as learning more about myself and ultimately the industry of Anaerobic Digestion and Agriculture.”