MEDIA RELEASE - 10 JUNE 2009 BYO sleeping bags for Agriculture ITO course Trainees on the Tara Hill block course Sleeping bags are not usually a prerequisite for attending Agriculture Industry Training Organisation courses, but they are for the 18 farm trainees on a training course held in the Mackenzie Country. Two women and 16 men from sheep and cattle farms in Canterbury and Otago converged on Tara Hills station near Omarama for two two-day courses learning about pasture types and grazing management. The "block courses" form part of a newly modified qualification and demonstrates Agriculture ITO's new flexible approach to long-distance learning. "In areas where trainees live miles apart, the new level 2 and 3 certificates are much more suitable to be taught as a block course," says Jock McKeown, training adviser for South Canterbury. "The old system of getting trainees to a class once a fortnight was too hard, as there was too much travel. Mr McKeown and Otago training adviser Sarah Barr organised the live-in course. Ms Barr says existing sheep and beef qualifications have been modified into a series of "modules". This will allow farm staff to complete something at each step, rather than have to pass multiple courses before being rewarded with one qualification. "It's easier to focus on a small bite rather than a big picture. The new system means trainees can achieve regularly and there's a great deal more flexibility," she says. Tara Hills' managers Greg and Mary Stuart provided trainees with accommodation and food at the station, which used to be a research facility and has on-site classroom facilities. Participants also got the chance to view the farm, to study some of the practical applications of what they were being taught. The second block course, held at the station last week [ed: 11 and 12 June], allowed this group of trainees to finish the study component of the feeding and pastures module. Stock classing and dog handling will also be included. The trainees will then be monitored on-farm during the next 6 months and have their work assessed by their employers, before qualifying for an NZQA-accredited certificate. Although the classroom-like environment of the block course was initially a bit intimidating for some, Sarah says all the feedback she received was positive. "They're learning something they're passionate about; we're not there to mark their spelling!" she says. Back to Press Releases