Food and Fresh Produce Graduate Scheme - MDS
Company: MDS
Salary: £26,000 starting salary
Location: UK-wide
Date posted: 02 October 2025
Apply before: Unspecified - year round recruitment
The Job:
Looking for a fast-track route into leadership and management? The MDS graduate scheme offers driven graduates the opportunity to step straight into real-world roles across the food, fresh produce, agriculture and horticulture sectors. From day one, you’ll receive structured training, a full salary and expert guidance from our team, empowering you to take charge of your success.
Over two years, you’ll work in up to four secondments (each lasting 6-12 months) within some of the UK’s leading food and agriculture businesses - our Members.
These secondments will give you hands-on experience across a variety of disciplines; you might find yourself coordinating a harvest with a major grower in one secondment, and then leading a business-critical project with a national retailer in the next.
Wherever you go, you’ll be making a real impact - our Trainees are known for delivering results and driving innovation.
This is more than a graduate job - it’s a launchpad for your leadership career in an industry that’s essential, innovative, and full of opportunity.
- Location: Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, International, Northern Ireland
- Industry: Agriculture, Food, Horticulture
- Job type: Permanent, Full-time, Graduate Programme

To apply, you must:
- Have the right to work in the UK by the time the programme starts, and for the duration of the programme (two years)
- Be able to relocate across the UK (and potentially overseas, though this is optional) for each secondment
- Hold a full UK driving licence and have access to your own vehicle by the time you start the programme, as many secondments are in rural areas where public transport is not a viable option.
The Company:
MDS is the UK’s foremost provider of management training for the food industry. Founded in 1986 as a not-for-profit membership organisation, we create a pipeline of well trained, capable leaders to work in all aspects of the food supply chain.
The Candidate:
- A degree, 2:1 or above
- Strong industry experience
- Leadership potential - the ability to inspire others, take initiative, and make things happen
- Resilience and motivation - a strong work ethic and a drive to succeed
- Adaptability - the confidence to relocate and thrive in new roles and environments every 6 months
- A practical mindset - the ability to solve problems and work independently
- Passion for the food and agriculture industry - enthusiasm for making a difference in a fast-moving, vital sector.
The Package:
- Gain a Level 5 Leadership and Management qualification, accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
- Be employed by MDS, with a salary of £26,000 in year one, rising to £28,000 in year two
- Relocation allowance of up to £1000 per year
- Benefit from mentoring and coaching to help you reach your full potential
- Join a network of over 500 MDS alumni, many now in senior roles across the industry
- Benefit from excellent career prospects - 100% of trainees to date have received a job offer upon completing the programme.
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