“Only 7% of all technical information is transmitted through the verbal word. Everything else is done through body language, rhythm speed, volume, intonation, etc.”

But what do verbal and non-verbal communication have to do with veterans in agriculture?

Our guest this week on the #VetsIn Ag podcast referenced this quote while describing his own transition into the private sector. William Foster, an agricultural equipment technician at Ben Burgess and Co., a John Deere dealer in the UK, began his career in the British Army leading and teaching tracked vehicle reconnaissance and equipment. There he developed a set of tangible and intangible skills that should have been directly transferrable to the agricultural machinery sector.

However, due to an early career rejection and a typo in a presentation request, a passion was ignited in Will to close this skill gap and prove to his current employer that he had what it took to be successful in this industry.

Have a listen to this episode to find out how Will ended up here, his passion for helping veterans transfer their skills to a new career, and his views on the future of mechanized machinery in ag and the nuances of a farmer’s right to repair.