🎧 Episode Title: Cultivating Change: Real-World AI Innovation with Jeremy Kerswell, CEO of Plumpton College <br /><br />🎙️ Podcast: AI Works Podcast Hosted by Richard Foster-Fletcher and Kurt Hintz <br /><br />🔍 Episode Overview <br /><br />How can leaders strategically use AI, robotics, and innovative technology to solve real-world industry challenges, drive productivity, and inspire lasting positive change? Jeremy Kerswell, Principal and CEO of Plumpton College, joins Richard and Kurt to discuss his practical experiences and future-facing strategies that position Plumpton as a pioneer in technology-driven agriculture and sustainability. <br /><br />Jeremy discusses:<ul><li>Plumpton’s strategic use of robotics in their dairy farming, dramatically boosting productivity and providing students hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.</li><li>Innovative industry partnerships, such as their £1 million tractor-sharing agreement, that create mutually beneficial relationships and reduce capital risk.</li><li>Real-world applications of AI, robotics, and 5G technology—including their pioneering "smart vineyard" and precision agriculture initiatives.</li><li>How Plumpton uses these innovations to reshape perceptions of agriculture, attracting new talent and students from diverse backgrounds.</li><li>His approach to embedding critical data-analysis skills across Plumpton’s curriculum, ensuring students graduate prepared for a digitally-driven industry.</li><li>Navigating strategic decisions around technology adoption, avoiding costly mistakes, and maintaining alignment with industry needs and college values.</li><li>His vision for the future: creating greater harmony between food production, sustainability, and technology, positioning Plumpton College as a leader for the sector and community.</li></ul>This episode offers engaging insights and strategic advice for leaders who aim to leverage AI and technology effectively, sustainably, and ethically. <br /><br />🧭 What We Cover <br />✔️ Plumpton’s practical experiences with robotic dairy farming and how this innovation has dramatically improved productivity and animal welfare.<br />✔️ How strategic industry partnerships (including their unique tractor-sharing model) enable Plumpton to remain at the forefront of agricultural technology.<br />✔️ Plumpton’s innovative 5G-enabled "smart vineyard" project and the transformational potential it holds for global agriculture.<br />✔️ Strategies for embedding essential data skills into educational programs, directly responding to employer-identified skills gaps.<br />✔️ Balancing strategic leadership decisions, recognising when to pursue opportunities, and when to avoid costly technology pitfalls.<br />✔️ Jeremy’s long-term vision for Plumpton’s role in leading sustainable, tech-driven agricultural practices and influencing positive change across industries. <br /><br />👤 About Our Guest <br /><br />Jeremy Kerswell is Principal and CEO at Plumpton College, a prominent UK institution specialising in agriculture, sustainability, and land-based education. With nearly a decade at Plumpton, Jeremy is known for his strategic leadership, fostering innovative industry partnerships, and positioning Plumpton at the cutting-edge of agricultural technology and sustainability. Passionate about positive industry transformation, Jeremy champions pragmatic technology adoption that directly enhances productivity, sustainability, and education. <br /><br />🔗 Links &amp; Mentions<ul><li>Plumpton College: <a href="https://www.plumpton.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.plumpton.ac.uk</a></li><li>Jeremy Kerswell on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-kerswell-4b0b4226" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-kerswell-4b0b4226</a></li><li>Richard Foster-Fletcher on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfosterfletcher" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfosterfletcher</a></li><li>Kurt Hintz on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-hintz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-hintz</a></li></ul>📬 Stay Connected For updates, resources, and future episodes, follow the AI Works Podcast and join our conversations on LinkedIn:<br /><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/mkai-works" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.linkedin.com/company/mkai-works</a>