I have worked as a trainer at the Campus for six years. During this time, I have learned that it is important to give all students the opportunity to find their own path. Dreams are what drive us forward. So what's the point of telling them before they start that they won't succeed, that they won't earn a living and that it's too hard?

I studied agriculture and then worked as an agricultural employee in the south-west of France. I worked mainly in livestock farming because my father, grandparents and uncle were all cattle and pig farmers. I really grew up in that environment. When I was 10, my parents bought an abandoned farm. I witnessed first-hand what it's like to start from scratch and work yourself to death. It destroyed them. They divorced ten years later. Those ten years were very hard; we were there all the time, helping our parents after school and during the holidays. So I know what it's like to mix concrete, build livestock enclosures, put up fence posts and watch over the cows. Being a farmer's daughter is not exactly cool today. My father would pick me up from school in his muddy cattle truck and emerge covered in dirt. We don't necessarily think about it, but I grew up feeling ashamed to say what my parents did for a living.

Despite this, I decided to study in this field. I worked on farms because I enjoyed it, and then I went on to work in agricultural administration and in a health protection group that deals with managing diseases on livestock farms. I did that for eight years and really enjoyed it, as it was an organisation that helped farmers. Then I was hired at the Chamber of Agriculture in the Alpes-Maritimes as a settlement advisor. I met with project leaders and discovered the reality of the department. Being a farmer here was nothing like the reality I was used to. The project leaders talked about permaculture and food-producing farms. Nobody had ever mentioned this to me during my studies. At first, I didn't understand. They wanted to farm on land the size of my parents' vegetable patch!

This training in the Campus will enable students to decide whether to become farm managers or contribute to the community. This decision will depend on the area they intend to cultivate. They will gain the credibility needed to access land, and those under 41 will also have access to DJA (young farmer funding) to set up their business. At the Chamber of Agriculture, I learned to respect all project leaders. It is important not to crush their dreams. Over time, I have learned not to judge, as I have changed my mind and realised that some of the more unconventional project leaders, who I would not have bet on, have ultimately succeeded in setting up and developing their businesses perfectly. I still remember the very first project leader, Maxime Ferrero. After thinking about his project for years, he now runs a liqueur business based in Bar sur Loup. He is now an operations manager and earns a good living from his business. He has managed to bring a project to life that enables him to balance his professional and personal life — he is the father of two children. His idea has enabled him to be profitable and to spend time with his family. He has won everything! He did something very different from what is usually done in the area.

This is exactly what farmers need to think about: their financial needs, family constraints, whether they want to set up on their own, and whether they have personal capital. There are many factors to consider. It's wonderful when you find someone who manages to do that.

At the Chamber of Agriculture, my role was to organise information meetings for project leaders. I received around 250 of these a year. When applying for government subsidies, going through the Chamber of Agriculture is mandatory. However, after two years, I left because it had become quite routine. Then, one day, while I was speaking at the BP REA on behalf of the Chamber of Agriculture, I was told that a position was becoming available. Since I've always like training, I accepted immediately. Nowadays, I teach students about labour law, marketing, business operations, work management, legal and social statutes, and food hygiene. I spend a lot of time with them. I am responsible for planning the training courses and recruiting other trainers. I also find the sites where they will complete their internships. It's fascinating. Thanks to the network I built up at the Chamber of Agriculture — particularly through organising the 21-hour internships — I have met all of the professional agricultural organisations in the Alpes-Maritimes region that are involved in setting up new farms.

Furthermore, I have a good understanding of the agricultural world, having experienced it through my parents. I know how physically demanding the job can be. I know what is beautiful about this profession and what is less so. I know it from the inside. When I became a trainer, I loved having an audience who wanted to become farmers. After spending years feeling ashamed of being a farmer's daughter, it is very rewarding to have people in front of me for whom it is a dream. They are eager to learn, and I can finally share my story and experience with pride.  

I learned a lot. I remained open-minded. I no longer judge. I am much less harsh. ADEAR (the Association for the Development of Agricultural and Rural Employment) helped me a great deal. I took part in their Eco-Farmers training programme. I observed how they worked. They specialise in unusual projects and advocate small-scale, family-based farming. It was then that I learned not to judge. Who are we to judge? This idea resonated with me. My knowledge is insufficient to assess whether a project will succeed or not. There are many factors involved. You have to let people do their own thing. But not everyone thinks like me.

In my first few years as a coordinator, I realised that, from September to July, I was with the trainees all the time. It was very demanding, and when I got home, the work followed me there through WhatsApp chats. It's important to understand that for BP REA students, this is a very delicate phase in their lives. All those who are planning a career change are aged 30-35. They have to devote a lot of time to it, and often they already have families. They start the training with their heads full of dreams, but they still take quite a few knocks... They realise the gap between their dreams and reality. It's difficult, there are a lot of fears and doubts. During the mid-term individual interviews, many of them burst into tears. Financial difficulties, family worries, some have to deal with sick parents or their children, there are also single mothers.

In short, very complicated situations. They don't realise it yet, there are so many skills to develop, but they are so brave! Especially the women! I can only continue to support them.

Carine Vilardell

Economics trainer and coordinator of the BP REA (Professional Certificate in Agricultural Business Management) training programme