Considering your training options for a career in the sheep and beef industry? Young people who have trained at a cadet farm are highly sought after by employers.
Places at cadet farms are hotly contested, but it's well worth trying for a place. If you get accepted to a cadet farm, you'll go through a structured training programme and come out a well-rounded employee, ready for work in the sheep and beef industry.
What are the options?
Growing Future Farmers
Growing Future Farmers is a two-year programme combines a range of specialised industry training and development with formal NZQA learning that includes classroom lectures, independent study, and group sessions. Placements are available in 10 regions throughout the country. B+LNZ funds Growing Future Farmers, a programme that aims to accelerate graduates' careers from entry-level Essential Farm Skills to advanced Farm Skills and Business Management.
Visit their website to apply and find out more.
Otiwhiti Station
Located near Hunterville, the Otiwhiti Station Land Based Training school teaches hill country sheep and cattle skills to a select group of not more than ten cadets in the first year. Opportunities for employment are made available for the second year in and around the community while cadets study for a structured Level 4 qualification.
Visit their website to apply and find out more.
Waipaoa Station
The Waipaoa Farm Cadet Training Trust runs a two year agricultural training programme on Waipaoa Station, a commercial sheep and beef farm 70km inland from Gisborne, with the primary objective of training our future agricultural leaders.
Visit their website to apply and find out more.
Whangārei A&P Farm Intern programme
The Whangārei A&P Farm Intern programme is a two-year, full-time farm internship programme where young people interested in a farming career get hands on experience for free whilst also working towards completing their New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture levels 3 and 4.
Visit their website to apply and find out more.
Support
B+LNZ provides financial assistance to students accepted into programmes at Waipaoa Station (Gisborne) and Otiwhiti Station (Hunterville). B+LNZ also provides funding for other cadet farms like Growing Future Farmers.